Survivorship Booklets With or Without Individual Telephone Sessions in Increasing Knowledge About the Impact of Breast Cancer in African American and Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

• Increased knowledge about the psychological and physical impact of breast cancer [ Time Frame: 9 months post study enrollment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Improved psychological functioning (depression and anxiety) [ Time Frame: 9 months post study enrollment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Improved family and social functioning (changes in family and partner communications) [ Time Frame: 9 months post study enrollment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Predictors of health-related quality of life (demographic, medical care factors, psychological, socio-ecological, and socio-cultural factors) [ Time Frame: 9 months post study enrollment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Behavioral: telephone-based intervention
Participants receive a "Survivorship Kit" and telephone sessions based upon responses to initial survey
Other: counseling intervention
Participants receive a "Survivorship Kit" and telephone sessions based upon responses to initial survey
Other: educational intervention
Participants receive a "Survivorship Kit" alone or in combination with telephone sessions based upon responses to initial survey
Other: questionnaire administration
Baseline and 9 months after enrollment and intervention
Procedure: psychosocial assessment and care
Participants receive a "Survivorship Kit" alone or in combination with telephone sessions based upon responses to initial survey
Procedure: quality-of-life assessment
Baseline and 9 months after enrollment and intervention

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Evaluate the utility of individual telephone sessions plus survivorship booklets versus the survivorship booklets alone in increasing knowledge about the psychological and physical impact of breast cancer and increasing awareness of appropriate psychological and medical resources among African American and Latina breast cancer survivors.
• Evaluate the utility of these interventions in improving psychological functioning (depression and anxiety) among breast cancer survivors.
• Evaluate the utility of these interventions in improving family and social functioning (changes in family and partner communications) among breast cancer survivors.

Secondary

• Evaluate predictors of health-related quality of life (demographic, medical care factors, psychological, socio-ecological, and socio-cultural factors) within and across breast cancer survivors ethnic groups to identify both general and ethnic-specific correlates.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to ethnicity (African American vs Latina). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups.

• Group 1: Patients receive a survivorship kit of booklets in English or Spanish. Patients then receive a follow-up telephone call at approximately 2 months to clarify any issues relevant to the survivorship kit of booklets.
• Group 2: Patients participate in 8 weekly telephone sessions addressing basic breast cancer information; education about psychological and medical effects of cancer and its treatments; resources including psychosocial, medical care facilities, and clinical trials information; stress management and relaxation; cognitive reframing of concerns and behavioral strategies; family communication; relational communication and intimacy; and social support. Patients also receive a survivorship kit of booklets as in group 1.

After completion of study intervention, patients complete follow-up questionnaires at 4 to 6 months.