Helping Older African American Cancer Survivors Cope

非裔美国人继续遭受不成比例的癌症之苦。这个的癌症死亡率 人口仍然比高加索人高33%，是美国其他少数民族人口比例的两倍 人口。癌症的发病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，加重了年龄较大和 非裔美国人。在这项研究中，我们建议评估一份旨在测量应对方式的问卷 老年非裔美国癌症幸存者使用的策略。《帮助方式问卷》(WHO)为 从对老年非裔美国癌症幸存者的深入采访中发展而来，捕捉到了独特的应对方式 这些人群使用的策略来管理他们的癌症经历。内容有效性已确定 由癌症幸存者、研究人员和具有应对、肿瘤学和护理专业知识的临床医生提供。引航员 世卫组织对88名老年非裔美国癌症幸存者的样本测试提供了足够的 信度和结构效度评价。因此，在这项研究中，我们建议对 WHQ的心理测量学特性。此外，我们建议检验世界银行总部的理论正确性。 在压力和应对理论框架内。350名老年非裔美国人癌症 幸存者将从门诊肿瘤诊所招募进行可靠性测试(重测，内部 一致性)和有效性(因素分析、假设关联)。来自我们初步研究的数据和 其他人的研究表明，年长的非裔美国癌症幸存者主要通过宗教信仰和 灵性，并使用其他以给予和接受帮助为特征的应对策略，而不是 在现有应对措施中强调了这一点。这项研究的长期目标是发展一种对文化敏感的 推动干预研究的应对措施；满足促进 在这一医疗服务不足的人群中实现最佳应对和积极的健康结果。

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 occuring 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 (WHO) 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 analsis, 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.