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"You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Reid, HW; Selvan, B; Montes de Oca, MK; Falkovic, M; Malone, S; Fish, LJ; Wheeler, S; Davidson, BA
Published in: Gynecol Oncol
January 2023

OBJECTIVES: Black patients with endometrial cancer are less likely to express distress and receive referrals for support services compared to White patients. We aim to characterize patient perceptions of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List (NCCN DT & PL), a common distress screening tool, among Black and White patients with endometrial cancer and determine strategies to improve equity in referral to appropriate support services. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Black and 15 White patients with endometrial cancer who reported varying levels of distress on the NCCN DT & PL. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, evaluated through staged content analysis, and salient themes were compared by patient race. RESULTS: The NCCN DT & PL was generally considered understandable, however the word "distress" could be alienating to participants who considered their stress to be less "drastic." Black participants mentioned fewer negative emotions such as worry and sadness in describing distress and spoke more often of a positive outlook. Additionally, Black participants emphasized the importance of relationship-building with clinicians for open communication on the NCCN DT & PL and clinical encounter. Finally, participants were divided on whether they would alter the way they completed the NCCN DT & PL given more information on cut off scores for referrals, but generally expressed a desire for more direct offers of support services. CONCLUSIONS: Relationship-building, open communication around emotion, and longitudinal direct offers of support emerged as avenues to reduce inequities in referral to supportive services for patients with endometrial cancer.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Gynecol Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1095-6859

Publication Date

January 2023

Volume

168

Start / End Page

166 / 175

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Mass Screening
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Endometrial Neoplasms
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Anxiety
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Reid, H. W., Selvan, B., Montes de Oca, M. K., Falkovic, M., Malone, S., Fish, L. J., … Davidson, B. A. (2023). "You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol, 168, 166–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.11.008
Reid, Hadley W., Bharathi Selvan, Mary Katherine Montes de Oca, Margaret Falkovic, Shauna Malone, Laura J. Fish, Sarahn Wheeler, and Brittany A. Davidson. “"You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer.Gynecol Oncol 168 (January 2023): 166–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.11.008.
Reid HW, Selvan B, Montes de Oca MK, Falkovic M, Malone S, Fish LJ, et al. "You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2023 Jan;168:166–75.
Reid, Hadley W., et al. “"You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer.Gynecol Oncol, vol. 168, Jan. 2023, pp. 166–75. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.11.008.
Reid HW, Selvan B, Montes de Oca MK, Falkovic M, Malone S, Fish LJ, Wheeler S, Davidson BA. "You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2023 Jan;168:166–175.
Journal cover image

Published In

Gynecol Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1095-6859

Publication Date

January 2023

Volume

168

Start / End Page

166 / 175

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Mass Screening
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Endometrial Neoplasms
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Anxiety