title: An interpretive description of chemotherapy-induced premature menopause among Latinas with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the experience of chemotherapy-induced premature menopause (CIPM) among Latinas, explore how CIPM was assimilated into the breast cancer experience, and relate measured acculturation levels to the CIPM experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interpretive descriptive method from a feminist inquiry lens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone interviews with participants from 12 states in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 Latinas who experienced CIPM after treatment for breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews and the Brief Acculturation Scale for Hispanics were used to elicit data, with interpreter assistance as needed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One overarching theme, Bigger Than Menopause, and three subthemes, Experiencing Menopause, Ever-Changing Landscape, and Working Through the Experience, were found. PARTICIPANTS' ability to assimilate CIPM into the breast cancer experience was affected by the magnitude of physiologic and psychosocial effects, access to health care, information and support, sense of control, and acculturation level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CIPM experience for Latinas with breast cancer is multifaceted, with less acculturated Latinas facing multiple barriers in accessing health care, treatment, information, and support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PARTICIPANTS described CIPM as part of a larger context that included physiologic and psychosocial effects and affected participants' ability to assimilate CIPM into the breast cancer experience. The impact of low acculturation and barriers experienced were elucidated as factors associated with assimilating CIPM into the breast cancer experience.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
authors.forename: Maryellen D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Brisbois
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000009:adverse effects; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008594:Menopause, Premature / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069585:Filgrastim
keywords: Hispanic; breast cancer; chemotherapy; cultural competence; menopausal symptoms; survivorship