Facilitating Adjustment in Low Income Black Women With Breast Cancer

Study Summary

The main goal of the proposed study is to test whether a successful stress management intervention can be effectively implemented in natural settings in the community and will be acceptable to a community dwelling, low income population of African American women with breast cancer. Hypothesis 1: There will be no differences between women randomized to either the Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) or the Cancer Wellness and Education condition (CW) on ratings of acceptability of the program. Hypothesis 2: Women randomized to the CBSM condition will show greater decreases over time in cancer-specific distress and greater increases over time in quality of life as compared to women in the CW condition over the course of the study from baseline to six month follow-up. Hypothesis 3: Women randomized to the CBSM condition will show greater improvement in pain levels, sleep disturbance and fatigue as compared to women in the CW condition over the course of the study from baseline to six month follow-up. Hypothesis 4: Women randomized to the CBSM condition will report fewer sick days, earlier return to work, fewer unanticipated health care visits, fewer visits to the Emergency Department and better follow-up with oncologists as compared to women in the CW condition over the course of the study from baseline to six month follow-up. Hypothesis 5: Women randomized to the CBSM condition will show more normalized patterns of diurnal cortisol (e.g., greater increase in negative AM-PM slope) as compared to women in the CW condition over the course of the study from baseline to six month follow-up. Hypothesis 6: Women randomized to the CBSM condition will show more less normalized patterns of heart rate variability (e.g., more variation) as compared to women in the CW condition over the course of the study from baseline to six month follow-up.

Primary Outcome

Acceptability is measured using a participant self-report scale that was created specifically for this project. This 16-item questionnaire assesses perceived satisfaction with the program, perceived comprehension of the material, comfort with group sessions, perceived competence of the interventionist, satisfaction with project staff, and ratings of project materials on a 4-point Likert scale (completely agree-completely disagree).

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Group Sessions

Study Locations (2)