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Experiences of Advanced Breast Cancer Among Latina Immigrants: A Qualitative Pilot Study

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Abstract

To explore the experiences of Latina immigrants with advanced breast cancer and their support networks. We conducted semi-structured interviews with low-income Latina immigrants with advanced breast cancer and their support networks (informal caregivers, physicians, and complementary medicine (CM) practitioners). Patient interviews explored patients’ illness experience and end of life (EOL) concerns. Support network member interviews focused on the relationship of the interviewee with the patient and EOL conversations. Six authors independently coded transcripts and jointly conducted qualitative thematic analysis. 72 total interviews (13 patients, 12 informal caregivers, 6 CM practitioners, and 4 physicians) revealed two themes. (1) Staying positive was a primary patient coping mechanism. (2) Patients’ language barriers and socioeconomic and immigration status posed challenges in participants’ illness experience. Appropriately addressing language barriers and social context during medical visits is crucial for effective EOL care. Clinicians should consider patients’ financial constraints and ensure support in applying for public benefits.

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Acknowledgments

We are deeply grateful to the study participants from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic and their informal and professional caregivers for generously sharing their experiences with us. We also offer special thanks to the staff and volunteers of CMC, as well as Julissa Cabrera, BA, one of the UCSF interviewers. This work was supported by a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure (DISP0707207; Adler, PI). The participation of Johanna Glaser, BA, and Ariana Thompson-Lastad, PhD, was supported by the UCSF Osher Center research training fellowship program (NCCIH T32 AT003997; Hecht and Adler, MPIs). Two concomitant studies that informed the conduct of this research were funded by the National Institutes of Health (R21 009363; Adler, PI) and the California Breast Cancer Research Program (13BB-1000; Adler and Stone, MPIs).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Johanna Glaser, Yvette Z. Coulter, Ariana Thompson-Lastad, Lisabeth Castro-Smyth & Shelley R. Adler

  2. School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Johanna Glaser, Elina Serrano & Shelley R. Adler

  3. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Shelley R. Adler

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  1. Johanna Glaser
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Correspondence to Johanna Glaser.

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Glaser, J., Coulter, Y.Z., Thompson-Lastad, A. et al. Experiences of Advanced Breast Cancer Among Latina Immigrants: A Qualitative Pilot Study. J Immigrant Minority Health 22, 1287–1294 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01069-4

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