Helping Older African American Cancer Survivors Cope

描述（由申请人提供）：非裔美国人继续不成比例地遭受癌症。这一人群的癌症死亡率仍然比白人高33%，是所有其他美国少数民族人群的两倍。癌症的发生率随着年龄的增长而增加，大多数癌症病例发生在55岁及以上的人中，加重了老年人和非裔美国人的癌症负担。在这项研究中，我们建议评估一份问卷，旨在衡量老年非洲裔美国人癌症幸存者使用的应对策略。帮助方式问卷（WHQ）是从对老年非裔美国人癌症幸存者的深入访谈中开发出来的，并捕捉了这一人群用于管理其癌症经历的独特应对策略。内容的有效性已经由癌症幸存者，研究人员和临床医生在应对，肿瘤学和治疗方面的专业知识确定。世卫组织与88名老年非裔美国人癌症幸存者样本的试点测试提供了足够的可靠性和结构效度评价。因此，在这项研究中，我们提出了一个更广泛的分析的心理测量特性的WHQ。此外，我们建议在压力和应对理论框架内测试WHQ的理论有效性。将从门诊肿瘤诊所招募350名老年非裔美国人癌症幸存者，进行可靠性（重测，内部一致性）和有效性（因素分析，假设关联）测试。我们的初步研究和其他人的数据表明，老年非裔美国人癌症幸存者主要通过宗教和精神，并使用其他应对策略，其特点是给予和接受帮助，应对策略不强调现有的应对措施。这项研究的长期目标是制定一个文化敏感的应对措施，推动干预研究，解决需要的干预措施，促进最佳的应对和积极的健康结果之间的医疗服务不足的人口。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): African Americans continue to suffer disproportionately from cancer. The cancer mortality rate for this population remains 33% higher than for Caucasians and twice as high as the rates for all other U.S. minority populations. The occurrence of cancer increases with age, with the majority of cancer cases occurring in persons 55 years and older, compounding the cancer burden experienced by the individual who is older and African American. In this study, we propose to evaluate a questionnaire designed to measure coping strategies used by older African American cancer survivors. The Ways of Helping Questionnaire (WHQ) was developed from in-depth interviews with older African American cancer survivors and captures unique coping strategies used by this population to manage their cancer experience. Content validity has been determined by cancer survivors, researchers, and clinicians with expertise in coping, oncology, and caregiving. Pilot testing of the WHO with a sample of 88 older African American cancer survivors has provided adequate reliability and construct validity evaluations. Thus, in this study, we propose a more extensive analysis of the psychometric properties of the WHQ. In addition, we propose to test the theoretical validity of the WHQ within the Stress and Coping Theoretical Framework. Three hundred and fifty older African American cancer survivors will be recruited from outpatient oncology clinics to conduct tests of reliability (test-retest, internal consistency) and validity (factor analysis, hypothesized associations). Data from our preliminary studies and that of others suggest that older African American cancer survivors cope primarily through religiosity and spirituality, and use other coping strategies characterized by giving and receiving help, coping strategies not emphasized in existing coping measures. The long-term goal of this study is to develop a culturally sensitive measure of coping that drives intervention studies; addressing the need for interventions that promote optimal coping and positive health outcomes among this medically underserved population.