Developing Culturally-Tailored Information-Based Support Groups for Chinese Immigrants With Breast Cancer

Developing Culturally-Tailored Information-Based Support Groups for Chinese Immigrants With Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study

There are few breast cancer support groups that focus on the specific needs of Chinese women. The purpose of this study is to learn about two different ways of providing support groups to help women of Chinese descent cope with the difficulties of a diagnosis of breast cancer and its treatment. The investigators want to learn about how best to support Chinese women with breast cancer by providing two different types of groups: an in-person support group and a virtual (online/phone) support group.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Chinese Immigrants With Breast Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: in-person support group; Behavioral: virtual support group

• Study Type: Observational

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • Jamaica, New York, United States, 11432
      • Queens Cancer Center of Queens Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Recruitment will be conducted by the MSKCC Research Study Assistant (RSA) with the assistance of the treatment team and community partners. Patients of MSKCC and QCC will be approached in clinic waiting rooms by the RSA. ACS Asian Initiatives and the Charles B Wang Community Health Center are referral sites for this study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• Non-US born
• Resident in the US < 20 years
• Of Chinese descent
• Age 21 years through 80 years
• Language spoken: Mandarin

• Diagnosis of breast cancer within 3 months prior to recruitment

  *Not required that breast cancer is the patients' first and/or only cancer diagnosis

• Currently receiving cancer treatment;
• Will be living continuously in the US for the next year
• Has a telephone that he/she is willing to use for the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of cognitive impairment disorder (i.e., delirium or dementia) sufficient to preclude meaningful informed consent and/or data collection
• Another household member is already enrolled.
• Prior participation in a cancer support group

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
in-person support group; This is a 1 year pilot study of the feasibility of participation in both in-person and virtual information-based, culturally tailored support groups for Chinese breast cancer patients.	Behavioral: in-person support group; Each support group will consist of 12 sessions. Thirty-two breast cancer patients of Chinese descent will be recruited to participate in the support groups (16 in the inperson groups and 16 in the virtual groups).
virtual support group; This is a 1 year pilot study of the feasibility of participation in both in-person and virtual information-based, culturally tailored support groups for Chinese breast cancer patients.	Behavioral: virtual support group; Each support group will consist of 12 sessions. Thirty-two breast cancer patients of Chinese descent will be recruited to participate in the support groups (16 in the inperson groups and 16 in the virtual groups).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
feasibility	To pilot and evaluate the feasibility of information-based, culturally-tailored in-person and virtual support groups for Chinese patients with breast cancer. The feasibility of participation in the in-person and virtual support groups will be measured by documenting patient accrual to the pilot study and attendance at the support groups.	1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To compare the impact of participation	in the in-person versus virtual support groups on quality of life (QOL), pain, psychosocial outcomes (distress, depression, anxiety, self-efficacy in coping with cancer), and perceived social support. These outcomes will be measured through a baseline and exit Outcomes Survey.	1 year
To assess satisfaction with the support groups	All participants will complete the Brief Support Group Survey at the end of each support meeting to assess satisfaction with and to provide feedback on the usefulness of the meeting and the information presented, ease of understanding and cultural appropriateness of the information, effectiveness of the facilitator, and suggestions for change or improvement.	1 year
To assess Internet use	among support group participants. All patients approached for study participation will complete the Screening Tool, which includes questions related to Internet use. The Screening Tool will be used for all eligible patients (patients refusing to participate will still be asked to complete the screening tool).	1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Collaborators: Queens Health Network; CHARLES B WANG COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER; Cancer Support Community
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jennifer Leng, MD, MPH, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: June 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 29, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): July 4, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): February 6, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 5, 2014
• Last Verified: February 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Breast cancer; Support Groups; Mandarin speaking; 12-105
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: 12-105