Lessons learned in developing a culturally adapted intervention for African-American families coping with parental cancer.
Prior clinical research supports the effectiveness of cancer support groups for cancer patients and their families, yet African-American families continue to be underrepresented in cancer support groups and in cancer clinical research studies. In order to fill this gap, we developed and evaluated a culturally adapted family support group for African-American families coping with parental cancer. We encountered unexpected challenges in overcoming barriers to recruitment, partnering with oncology providers, and building trust with the African-American community and African-American families coping with parental cancer. We describe actions taken during the two phases of this study and lessons learned along the way about recruiting and engaging African-American families in cancer support group studies, partnering with oncology providers, networking with the African-American community, and the importance of demonstrating cultural sensitivity to overcome the understandable historical legacy of mistrust.
Department of Couple and Family Therapy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA. mpd29@drexel.edu
Maureen P
MP
Davey
Karni
K
Kissil
Laura
L
Lynch
La-Rhonda
LR
Harmon
Nancy
N
Hodgson
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D003469:Culture; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects