title: Racial Disparities in Emotional Distress Among Cancer Survivors: Insights from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of race, cancer history, and their interaction on emotional distress among a nationally representative sample of US adults. Data utilized for this analysis were obtained from the first, second, and fourth iterations of the fourth cycle of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). The study sample included 3959, 3630, and 3677 respondents for the years 2011, 2012, and 2014, respectively, for a total sample size of 11,266. A multivariable ordered logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between emotional distress, race, and cancer history. The effect of cancer history on emotional distress was found to be moderated by race. Specifically, emotional distress was significantly higher among African American cancer survivors. Factors found to be protective against emotional distress included healthy lifestyle, older age, and higher income. Factors associated with high levels of emotional distress included poor general health status, low self-efficacy, and being female. The authors recommend the design, advancement, and implementation of evidence-based culturally sensitive interventions aimed at effectively screening and managing psychological distress symptoms, particularly among African American long-term cancer survivor patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
authors.forename: Bettye A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Apenteng
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Behavior and Education, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA. ahansen@georgiasouthern.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Opoku
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Mase
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: African American; Cancer; Disparities; Emotional distress; HINTS; Survivor