title: Peer support preferences among African-American breast cancer survivors and caregivers.
abstract: Breast cancer mortality rates continue to improve due to advances in cancer control and treatment. However, gains in breast cancer survival rates vary by race. Psychosocial support systems can lead to improved health outcomes among cancer survivors. This study was a part of a larger study exploring the challenges that both African-American cancer survivors and caregivers face across the cancer continuum. The objective of this paper was to explore African-American breast cancer survivors' and caregivers' preferences regarding characteristics and qualities of Peer Connect guides to inform the development of a peer support program.
  
  
  
  Forty-one African-American cancer survivors and caregivers participated in five focus groups lasting approximately 90 min. Participants were asked about what qualities or characteristics they would prefer in a peer support guide to make them feel comfortable talking with them. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis, an iterative coding process. Themes were identified based on the research team's integrated and unified final codes.
  
  
  
  Twenty-two cancer survivors, 19 caregivers, and 3 individuals who were both survivors and caregivers participated in the focus groups. Participants discussed five preferences for peer support guides: (1) competency, (2) gender, (3) age, (4) cancer role status, and (5) relationship to participant.
  
  
  
  This study highlights cancer survivors' and caregivers' perceptions of characteristics needed for peer support providers that in turn can influence whether and how they participate in cancer support programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7606, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA. lhmaslow@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haynes-Maslow
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas, Austin, USA.
authors.forename: Marlyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allicock
authors.affiliation: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Austin, USA.
authors.forename: La-Shell
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: African-American; Breast cancer; Cancer caregivers; Cancer support; Cancer survivors; Peer support