Skip to main content
  • AACR Publications
    • Blood Cancer Discovery
    • Cancer Discovery
    • Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
    • Cancer Immunology Research
    • Cancer Prevention Research
    • Cancer Research
    • Clinical Cancer Research
    • Molecular Cancer Research
    • Molecular Cancer Therapeutics

  • Register
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • About
    • The Journal
    • AACR Journals
    • Subscriptions
    • Permissions and Reprints
    • Reviewing
  • Articles
    • OnlineFirst
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • CEBP Focus Archive
    • Meeting Abstracts
    • Collections
      • Disparities Collection
      • Editors' Picks
  • For Authors
    • Information for Authors
    • Author Services
    • Best of: Author Profiles
    • Submit
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • OnlineFirst
    • Editors' Picks
    • Citation
    • Author/Keyword
  • News
    • Cancer Discovery News
  • AACR Publications
    • Blood Cancer Discovery
    • Cancer Discovery
    • Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
    • Cancer Immunology Research
    • Cancer Prevention Research
    • Cancer Research
    • Clinical Cancer Research
    • Molecular Cancer Research
    • Molecular Cancer Therapeutics

User menu

  • Register
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • About
    • The Journal
    • AACR Journals
    • Subscriptions
    • Permissions and Reprints
    • Reviewing
  • Articles
    • OnlineFirst
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • CEBP Focus Archive
    • Meeting Abstracts
    • Collections
      • Disparities Collection
      • Editors' Picks
  • For Authors
    • Information for Authors
    • Author Services
    • Best of: Author Profiles
    • Submit
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • OnlineFirst
    • Editors' Picks
    • Citation
    • Author/Keyword
  • News
    • Cancer Discovery News
Behavioral and Social Science

Abstract PR02: Randomized controlled trial to increase quality of life and reduce perceived stress among Korean American breast cancer survivors

Sunmin Lee, Mary Y. Jung and Jamie H. Sim
Sunmin Lee
University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Mary Y. Jung
University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jamie H. Sim
University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
DOI: 10.1158/1538-7755.DISP16-PR02 Published February 2017
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
Loading
Abstracts: Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; September 25-28, 2016; Fort Lauderdale, FL

Abstract

Background: Despite large increases in breast cancer incidence among Korean women, there have been remarkably few empirical studies to improve survivorship among Korean American breast cancer survivors (KBCS), many of whom experience linguistic and cultural barriers. According to limited research on Asian Americans, KBCS report low quality of life (QOL) and high perceived stress (henceforth referred to as “stress”). To address this gap, we tested the effectiveness of one of the first linguistically appropriate and culturally sensitive cognitive-behavioral stress management programs that was developed to improve QOL and reduce stress in KBCS.

Methods: The TOGETHER (Together Overcome and Get Empowered Through Health Education and Relationships) program consists of seven 2-hour sessions and one follow-up seven weeks post-intervention. These findings are preliminary results based on cycles one to four of the program, consisting of 66 KBCS in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of which complete data was available for 61 participants (92.4%). The standard intervention (SI) group (n=28) received linguistically and culturally tailored health information related to breast cancer, while the enhanced intervention (EI) group (n=33) received this and additional information/practice on relaxation, stress reduction techniques, mindfulness, utilizing social support, anger management, and assertiveness training.

Outcomes were measured at baseline, upon completion of the program, and at follow-up. QOL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), which includes five subscales (physical well-being (PWB), social well-being (SWB), emotional well-being (EWB), functional well-being (FWB), and breast cancer subscale (BCS)), while stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to examine program effects on QOL and PSS separately. Moreover, the impact of program site (Maryland vs. Virginia), cycle (one to four), and age (less than 65 vs. 65 and over) on these relationships was assessed.

Results: Randomization was effective in that SI and EI participants were similar in regards to sociodemographic, breast cancer-related, and acculturation variables. Program site and cycle did not impact program effects on QOL and PSS and were thus not included in subsequent models. For QOL, the SI group had better quality of life at baseline (mean FACT-B score: 103.3) compared to the EI group (mean FACT-B score: 100.7). Changes in mean FACT-B, SWB, and FWB scores significantly differed between the SI and EI group from baseline to the end of the program. Specifically, the EI group had a 7.0 unit greater increase in mean FACT-B scores, 2.6 unit greater increase in mean SWB scores, and 2.5 unit greater increase in mean FWB scores from baseline to the end of the program as compared to the SI group on average. For stress, the EI group had a higher level of stress (mean PSS score: 18.82) than the SI group (mean PSS score: 17.25) at baseline. Changes in mean PSS scores significantly differed across time between the SI and EI groups. Those in the EI group had a 2.7 unit greater decrease in mean PSS scores from baseline to the end of the program as compared to those in the SI group on average. For age, those who were less than 65 showed overall decreases in stress from baseline to follow-up, while those 65 and over showed initial decreases from baseline to the end of the program and then increases from the end of the program to follow-up beyond the baseline values.

Conclusions: The TOGETHER program is effective in increasing QOL and reducing stress among KBCS and can potentially be adapted and implemented for other socially or linguistically isolated groups in the U.S.

Citation Format: Sunmin Lee, Mary Y. Jung, Jamie H. Sim. Randomized controlled trial to increase quality of life and reduce perceived stress among Korean American breast cancer survivors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr PR02.

  • ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.
Previous
Back to top
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention: 26 (2 Supplement)
February 2017
Volume 26, Issue 2 Supplement
  • Table of Contents

Sign up for alerts

Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for sharing this Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention article.

NOTE: We request your email address only to inform the recipient that it was you who recommended this article, and that it is not junk mail. We do not retain these email addresses.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Abstract PR02: Randomized controlled trial to increase quality of life and reduce perceived stress among Korean American breast cancer survivors
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
(Your Name) thought you would be interested in this article in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Citation Tools
Abstract PR02: Randomized controlled trial to increase quality of life and reduce perceived stress among Korean American breast cancer survivors
Sunmin Lee, Mary Y. Jung and Jamie H. Sim
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev February 1 2017 (26) (2 Supplement) PR02; DOI: 10.1158/1538-7755.DISP16-PR02

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Abstract PR02: Randomized controlled trial to increase quality of life and reduce perceived stress among Korean American breast cancer survivors
Sunmin Lee, Mary Y. Jung and Jamie H. Sim
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev February 1 2017 (26) (2 Supplement) PR02; DOI: 10.1158/1538-7755.DISP16-PR02
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
Advertisement

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

Behavioral and Social Science

  • Abstract C34: [Advocate Abstract:] Does culture play a role in cancer survivorship?
  • Abstract A22: Improving the community's understanding of research through lay ambassadors
  • Abstract C09: Building capacity to conduct cancer disparities research: Progress and evaluation of NCI CRCHD P20 GUIDE Project
Show more Behavioral and Social Science

Community-based Interventions

  • Abstract B16: Potential challenges and strategies for working with community cancer advocates in a rural population
  • Abstract B15: Colorectal cancer knowledge and adherence among Hispanic workers
  • Abstract B14: Promising effects of a culturally tailored pilot intervention to increase HPV vaccination uptake among female and male adolescents
Show more Community-based Interventions

Community-based Interventions: Oral Presentations - Proffered Abstracts

  • Abstract PR01: Development and implementation of a church-based eHealth program to reduce obesity in Appalachian adults
  • Abstract PR04: Functional mobility disparities in older African American women with cancer in a multisite lay navigation program in the Deep South
Show more Community-based Interventions: Oral Presentations - Proffered Abstracts
  • Home
  • Alerts
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   YouTube   RSS

Articles

  • Online First
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues

Info for

  • Authors
  • Subscribers
  • Advertisers
  • Librarians
  • Reviewers

About Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Permissions
  • Submit a Manuscript
AACR logo

Copyright © 2019 by the American Association for Cancer Research.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
eISSN: 1538-7755
ISSN: 1055-9965

Advertisement