Online Program

331739
Improving Quality of Life Among Latino Cancer Survivors: National Randomized Control Trial Patient Navigator Outcomes


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Sandra San Miguel, MS, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Institute for Health Promotion Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Arely Perez, MS, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The Univeristy of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Leopoldo Castillo, MA, Department of Medical Social Sciences, IL
Edgar Munoz, MS, The Institute of Health Promotion Research, Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Kipling Gallion, MA, Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Sarah R. Arvey, PhD, Research and Evaluation, LIVESTRONG Foundation, TX
Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, Institute for Health Promotion Research, San Antonio, TX
Frank Penedo, PhD, Department of Medical Social Sciences / Northwestern University, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Purpose: Latino cancer survivors experience an unequal burden of unmet needs after treatment, which compromise their health care and wellness; experts recommend providing psychosocial services as an integral part of quality cancer care.  

Methods: Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network and LIVESTRONG partnered to conduct a randomized control trial utilizing trained, bilingual, bicultural patient navigators to improve wellness and access to psychosocial services among non-metastatic Latino breast cancer survivors from Texas and Chicago. The trial tests the efficacy of patient navigation (PN) in improving general and disease-specific quality of life (QoL), treatment compliance, and identification of mechanisms that may promote quality of life. The study involves a 2 X 4 randomized repeated measures design with an experimental condition (combined PN over three months with access to the LIVESTRONGCancer Navigation Center [LCNC] services [PN+LCNC]) versus a control condition (PN only) as the between-groups factor, and time-point (baseline/pre-randomization [T1]; post-PN [3-months post-T1; T2], and 6- [T3] and 12-months [T4] follow-up after T2) as the within-groups factor. LCNC provides free, bilingual support to U.S. cancer survivors throughout the cancer journey. LCNC also refers survivors to services addressing their medical, economic and psychosocial needs, and monitors client contact and access outcomes.

Preliminary Results:  At conference we will present quality of life outcomes on 277 breast, prostate and colorectal cancer participants based on the Funcional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) scale among others.

Discussion: Culturally sensitive patient navigation models could improve delivery of and/or promote best practices in cancer screening, treatment, and survivorship services.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the importance of patient navigators in underserved communities to ensure the successful implementation of a national research project (i.e., providing cancer education, support and referral to cancer survivorship resources to promote wellness and QoL). Compare and contrast survivors’ QoL outcomes related to receiving patient navigation from the navigator (control group) and receiving patient navigation from the navigator and additional support from the LCNC program. Assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the LCNC program, coupled with the assistance of patient navigators, among Latino cancer survivors across the nation.

Keyword(s): Cancer, Latinos

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I'm a junior faculty member focusing on health disparities research, cancer research, and survivorship among the Latino population. Among my scientific interests has been the development of culturally sensitive strategies to improve the quality of life of Latino cancer survivors.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.