ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Latina breast cancer survivors in the United States face disproportionate risk for poorer quality of life and physical health, as well as greater emotional distress. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to describe the physical, emotional, and general health status of 135 Latina breast cancer survivors served by a community-based program. RESULTS: Of the 135 surveys sent, 48 survivors responded. Of those who responded, time since diagnosis ranged from 0 to 24 years ( M = 4.37; SD = 5.54); and 45.9% of the women rated physical health as poor or fair. Fatigue prevalence was high, with 60.5% reporting fatigue as moderate or severe. Nearly 80% reported having pain (score >0); 38.3% reported pain was moderate or severe. The women reported mild levels of anxiety and depression but high levels of stress ( M = 4.14; SD = 3.02). CONCLUSIONS: Latina breast cancer survivors could benefit from interventions focused on commonly shared problems while tailoring specific interventions for subsets with more severe symptoms.
