RESUMO
Although recent work has recognized that the influence and consequences of cancer extend beyond the individual receiving the diagnosis, no studies have focused on the specific psychosocial intervention needs of female co-survivors in low-income populations. In this qualitative study, the co-survivors, 16 women, representing 10 low-income families and predominately Hispanic, were interviewed about their experience of having someone in their family diagnosed with cancer. Several themes emerged from the data, including family stress, lack of skill in coping with the effects of cancer (e.g., depression of their loved one), a need for financial help, a willingness to share with others, and reliance on faith to see them through the cancer experience. Whereas no agreement existed as to where and how to provide an intervention, participants reported that tailoring an intervention to family needs and delivering it in a way that was accessible to them was important.
Assuntos
Família/psicologia , Necessidades e Demandas de Serviços de Saúde , Neoplasias/psicologia , Pobreza , Sobreviventes/psicologia , Mulheres/psicologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Hispânico ou Latino/psicologia , Humanos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Little is known about the association between acculturation and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among older Mexican-American (MA) women. Environmental and lifestyles changes experienced by immigrants to the United States may markedly affect their diet and health and increase their risk for chronic diseases. Our objectives were to: 1) describe FV consumption by ethnicity, acculturation, and sociodemographic characteristics, and 2) compare effects of acculturation and sociodemographic variables on FV intake in a population of older MA and non-Hispanic White (NHW) women from the Well-Integrat-ed Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) Study. This report examines baseline FV intake of 346 underinsured women aged 50-76 years, assessed through 24-hour dietary recalls. Acculturation was measured with a five-item Likert-type scale. Twenty percent of more acculturated MA women, 24% of less acculturated MA women, and 36% of White women consumed > or = 5 servings of FV servings per day. Fruit and vegetable (FV) intake was associated with acculturation, education, and smoking status. Being more acculturated was associated with lower consumption of FVs among MAs, while having a higher education and no smoking was associated with higher intakes of FV servings among NHWs. Public health efforts to improve the intake of FVs among MA women should be sensitive to their acculturation status.