“I Felt Defeated. I Felt Helpless”: Social Determinants of Health Influencing the Cancer Survivorship of a Young Latina Mother ()
ABSTRACT
Social
determinants of health (SDOH) contribute to cancer disparities among young
Latina women (<50 years) residing in the counties along the US-Mexico
border. These SDOH are particularly burdensome to young Latina mothers
diagnosed with cancer while they are raising school-age children. Conexiones, a culturally adapted program
designed to improve mother and child adjustment to maternal cancer, was piloted
with diagnosed Latina mothers residing in border counties in New Mexico and
Texas. The purpose of this case analysis was to highlight the SDOH affecting a
young Latina mother’s cancer survivorship in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The
participant’s Conexiones education
sessions were recorded, transcribed, translated to English, back translated to
Spanish to establish accuracy, and inductively coded. The participant’s
baseline survey indicated she was a young (<50 years), married,
Spanish-speaking Latina mother diagnosed with breast cancer while raising a
teenage daughter. Seventeen SDOH themes affecting the participant’s cancer experience
were identified in the cancer-related emotional triggers she reported across
five Conexiones sessions. These
themes were organized using Yanez’s conceptual model of determinants of cancer
outcomes in Hispanics (i.e.,
socioeconomic, healthcare, cultural context, and psychosocial). Findings
provide direction for cultural adaptations of evidence-based programs.
Share and Cite:
Hernandez, A. , Reyes, C. , Garcia, I. and Palacios, R. (2022) “I Felt Defeated. I Felt Helpless”: Social Determinants of Health Influencing the Cancer Survivorship of a Young Latina Mother.
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
13, 440-449. doi:
10.4236/jct.2022.137039.