title: Racial and ethnic variation in partner perspectives about the breast cancer treatment decision-making experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the perspectives of partners (husbands or significant others) of patients with breast cancer in the treatment decision-making process and to evaluate racial and ethnic differences in decision outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  517 partners of a population-based sample of patients with breast cancer four years post-treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered mailed questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between race and ethnicity and decision outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Decision regret and three elements of the decision process: information received, actual involvement, and desired involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most partners reported receiving sufficient information (77%), being involved in treatment decisions (74%), and having sufficient involvement (73%). Less-acculturated Hispanic partners were more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to report high decision regret (45% versus 14%, p<0.001). Factors significantly associated (p<0.05) with high decision regret were insufficient receipt of treatment information, low involvement in decision making, and a desire for more involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partners were generally positive regarding their perspectives about participating in the breast cancer treatment decision-making process. However, less acculturated Hispanic partners were most vulnerable to decision regret. In addition, high decision regret was associated with modifiable elements of the decision-making process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attention should be paid to ensuring racial and ethnic minority partners are sufficiently involved in breast cancer treatment decisions and receive decision support.
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minnesota.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lillie
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Nancy K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Janz
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Ann S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan.
authors.forename: Brittany Bartol
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan and Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan and Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
authors.forename: Sarah T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hawley
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology; D007258:Informed Consent; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D008824:Michigan; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000523:psychology; D018426:SEER Program; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
keywords: breast cancer; decision making; family and caregivers