Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA.
Womens Health (Lond). 2021 Jan-Dec;17:17455065211002488. doi: 10.1177/17455065211002488.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among Latina women in the United States. One aspect of recovery that has been underrepresented in the English-language literature is the recovery of Latina women who have developed lymphedema, a debilitating condition characterized by persistent swelling of the arm, hand, chest, and/or breast. To fill this research gap, a study was conducted to examine the lived experiences of Latina women with breast cancer-related lymphedema.
Given the limited scholarship on this topic, qualitative methods were used to obtain a foundational and nuanced understanding of Latina women's experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 10 Latina survivors with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis and constant comparison methodology.
The data analysis yielded three major themes: knowledge of lymphedema, impact of lymphedema diagnosis, and coping with lymphedema. Participants had limited knowledge of lymphedema and its risk factors upon diagnosis, in addition to barriers accessing quality care. They also noted psychological distress related to a significant financial burden as well as social anxiety related to interacting with others while wearing compression gloves or sleeves. A major coping strategy was receiving social support from friends, family, peers in structured support groups, and spiritual/religious groups or practices.
Our findings bring to light contextual factors that may place Latina breast cancer survivors at increased risk for lymphedema and for experiencing a high burden managing their condition. Recommendations are provided for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
乳腺癌是美国拉丁裔女性中最常见的癌症类型，也是癌症相关死亡的主要原因。在英语文献中，有一个方面在描述拉丁裔女性癌症康复方面一直被低估了，那就是患有淋巴水肿的拉丁裔女性的康复情况。淋巴水肿是一种使人衰弱的疾病，其特征是手臂、手、胸部和/或乳房持续肿胀。为了填补这一研究空白，进行了一项研究，以检查患有乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿的拉丁裔女性的生活经历。
鉴于该主题的研究有限，采用了定性方法来获得对拉丁裔女性经历的基础性和细致的理解。对 10 名患有乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿的拉丁裔幸存者进行了半结构式访谈。通过主题分析和恒定性比较方法对数据进行了分析。
数据分析产生了三个主要主题：对淋巴水肿的认识、淋巴水肿诊断的影响以及应对淋巴水肿。参与者在诊断时对淋巴水肿及其危险因素的了解有限，并且在获得高质量护理方面也存在障碍。他们还注意到与佩戴压缩手套或袖子与他人互动相关的心理困扰，以及与经济负担相关的社交焦虑。主要的应对策略是从朋友、家人、结构化支持小组中的同龄人以及精神/宗教团体或实践中获得社会支持。
我们的研究结果揭示了可能使拉丁裔乳腺癌幸存者面临更高的淋巴水肿风险以及更难管理其病情的背景因素。为一级、二级和三级预防提供了建议。
