title: Do recently diagnosed black breast cancer patients find questions about cancer fatalism acceptable? A preliminary report.
abstract: Socio-cultural factors such as cancer fatalism have been understudied in cancer patients. Women from two cancer centers completed a structured phone survey and an open-ended cognitive interview. Socio-cultural variables of fatalism, hope, and spiritual coping were measured using standardized scales. Older women had significantly higher fatalism scores compared to younger women (p < 0.01). Fatalism rates were low. Ratings of hope and collaborative religious coping were high (m = 20, m = 35, respectively). Qualitative comments confirmed the overall low acceptability of the fatalism measures. Further research is needed to identify measures that are acceptable to newly diagnosed patients.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control Program, Georgetown University, 3300 Whitehaven St, NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20007, USA. vls3@georgetown.edu
authors.forename: Vanessa B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boisvert
authors.forename: Mare
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boisvert
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Montalvo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death / Q000208:ethnology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged