Pilot feasibility study: Eliciting provider and patient perspectives to help African American families cope with parental cancer.

Abstract

233 Background: 1.2 million African American (AA) parents/guardians of school age children may be diagnosed with cancer in 2014. AAs have a disproportionate burden and mortality from solid tumor cancers. However, AAs are poorly represented in distress intervention studies, and psychosocial oncology support services may not be designed for culturally diverse populations. The goal of this pilot study was to gather feasibility data from a sample of AA medical providers and from a sample of 100 cancer patients. This approach aided development of effective structures and procedures to recruit AA cancer patients/guardians raising school-age children for a culturally sensitive family intervention program. Methods: We developed a focus group guide for AA medical providers to define best practices for recruiting AA cancer patients into an intervention program. The focus group of AA providers (4 oncologists, 3 primary care, and 3 family practitioners) first reviewed the treatment manual for cultural content. We then conducted an anonymous patient needs assessment, broadly sampling cancer patients from outpatient and inpatient settings (n=100). Results: Providers and patients identified transportation support, refreshments, and onsite care for young children as important. Both groups recommended targeting AA parents/guardians within the first months of diagnosis, when coping with a cancer diagnosis is acute. Parents/guardians who had current concerns about their children more often reported an interest in family support, and patients felt that a location other than the cancer center would be most comfortable for their children. Conclusions: Effective treatments to help children and adolescents cope with the impact of parental cancer are critical, particularly those targeting low-income AA populations. The provider focus group and patient needs assessment identified recruitment barriers in anticipation of a randomized control trial designed to address family distress after parental cancer diagnosis. This approach has the potential to impact the nature of treatment support options available to a group that is overrepresented and underserved by existing interventions.