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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Julie Becker, PhD, MPH, Women's Health & Environmental Network (WHEN), 704 N. 23rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, 215-694-0081, ja.becker@verizon.net, Abbie Schlener, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 401, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Andrea Crivelli-Kovach, PhD, CHES, Department of Community Health, Arcadia University, 450 Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038, and Elyse S. Caplan, MA, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, 10 East Athens Avenue, Suite 204, Ardmore, PA 19003.

With the changing nature of the disease, breast cancer is becoming a curable disease for some or a chronic disease for others. Totally more than 2.2 million women and growing, survivorship is becoming a greater concern, since little is known about what long-term breast cancer survivors (LTBCS) require to maintain their disease-free status, to make informed health decisions and to reduce potential co-morbidities of other chronic diseases. The purposes of this pilot study are to (a) understand the knowledge and attitudes of LTBCS about their health status, and (b) test if a self-management program can assist LTBCS in increasing their health information seeking behaviors and influence health behaviors that decrease chances for other cancers or health conditions. We conducted an exploratory study utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods with a community-based organization of breast cancer survivors who are between the ages of 45-72, and are at least 5 or more years disease-free from cancer but may have other chronic diseases. Results: We have identified three key themes from LTBCS: the use of the term “cancer survivor” and its connotations; the conceptualization of health and illness; and sources where women get health information. These themes were used to develop tailored messages used in a self-management program. The self-management program was implemented with more than 20 women over 6 weeks, with pre, post, and 4 month follow-up information. The next step will be a quasi-experimental design comparing self-management with support groups and informational sessions.

Learning Objectives: