Understanding racial/ethnic differences in breast cancer-related physical well-being: the role of patient-provider interactions.

ABSTRACT: PURPOSE:Racial/ethnic differences in cancer symptom burden are well documented, but limited research has evaluated modifiable factors underlying these differences. Our objective was to examine the role of patient-provider interactions to help explain the relationship between race/ethnicity and cancer-specific physical well-being (PWB) among women with breast cancer. METHODS:The Pathways Study is a prospective cohort study of 4505 women diagnosed with breast cancer at Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2006 and 2013. Our analysis included white, black, Hispanic, and Asian participants who completed baseline assessments of PWB, measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast Cancer, and patient-provider interactions, measured by the Interpersonal Processes of Care Survey (IPC) (N?=?4002). Using step-wise linear regression, we examined associations of race/ethnicity with PWB, and changes in associations when IPC domains were added. RESULTS:We observed racial/ethnic differences in PWB, with minorities reporting lower scores than whites (beta, black: -?1.79; beta, Hispanic: -?1.92; beta, Asian: -?1.68; p?

SUBMITTER: Check DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6528788 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature