title: Evaluating a culturally tailored peer-mentoring and education pilot intervention among Chinese breast cancer survivors using a mixed-methods approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a social support intervention that was culturally tailored for Chinese Americans who face many challenges because of cultural and linguistic barriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervention with a one-group pre- or post-test design, mixed methods, and a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Southern California.
  
  
  METHODS
  14 Chinese American breast cancer survivors post-treatment and eight breast cancer peer mentors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was a 10-week program to provide emotional and informational support through peer mentoring and education. Health outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention. Eight weekly process evaluations and two focus group interviews also were conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depressive and anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The program was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. Participants valued the program highly. Inductive analysis suggested possible mechanisms for effectiveness, such as reducing stigma, empowerment, and increased sense of belonging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The peer-mentoring and education program has the potential to serve as a model intervention for ethnic minorities. Mixed methods and CBPR are valuable in evaluating pilot interventions with minorities. Focusing on relationships may be fruitful for designing novel interventions for cancer survivors from collectivistic cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peer-mentoring and education programs can be integrated into communities and clinics to improve care for underserved minority cancer survivors and to reduce health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Houston in Texas.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wuhan University in China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Houston.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Man
authors.affiliation: Herald Cancer Association, San Gabriel, CA.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Herald Cancer Association, San Gabriel, CA.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D001213:Asian; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors
keywords: Chinese American; breast cancer survivors; culturally tailored; peer mentorship; psychosocial intervention; social support