title: Coping with breast cancer: Reflections from Chinese American, Korean American, and Mexican American women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study identified and compared the coping strategies of Chinese American, Korean American, and Mexican American breast cancer survivors (BCS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Six focus groups were conducted with Chinese American (n = 21), Korean American (n = 11), and Mexican American (n = 9) BCS. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated for thematic content analysis of coping experiences and strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women reported the use of 8 coping strategies (religious/spiritual, benefit finding, fatalism, optimism, fighting spirit, information seeking, denial, and self-distraction). Among Chinese American BCS, benefit finding was the most referenced coping strategy, whereas religious/spiritual coping was most frequently reported among Korean American and Mexican American BCS. Denial and self-distraction were the least cited strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survivors draw upon new found inner strength to successfully integrate their cancer experience into their lives. Coping models must consider the diversity of cancer survivors and the variability in coping strategies among cultural ethnic minority BCS.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, California State University, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang-Letzkus
authors.affiliation: College of Social Welfare, Kangnam University.
authors.forename: Jung-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Katrina F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Anna María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nápoles
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data