The Influence Of Social Support On Oral Cancer

2.3 Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life events

“African Americans have the highest death rate form all cancer sites combined and from malignancies of the lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, female breast, prostate, and cervix of all racial or ethnic groups in the United States (Elizabeth ward, 2004). The health disparities in African Americans and other racial groups are alarming. For this essay I choose to focus on the empirical facts on the disparities between African American women and European American women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and the disparity in mortality rates. Therefore many of the studies I found linked the disparity to race, poverty and environmental factors. American cancer society estimates, that in 2017 there will be 252,710 new breast cancer diagnosis

Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it

Disparities of all kinds exist in modern day health care. One such disparity that is of particular interest is one that exists between Caucasian and African American women relating to their respective rates of breast cancer incidence and breast cancer survival. According to the American Cancer Society, Caucasian women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women however; Caucasian women have a higher survival rate than African American women (ACS, 2006, as cited in Leshner, 2006). This is to say that although Caucasian woman have a higher rate of breast cancer compared to African American women, Caucasian women have a higher rate of survival. This finding is indeed a disparity in heath care, and one that begs the question as to why this is so. The reasons as to why this disparity exists are numerous and very complex. Several factors play a role in substantiating the disparity in mortality rates related to breast cancer in African American women, including differences in spirituality and religion, differences in education surrounding breast cancer, and differences in socio economic standing as it relates to ones health promotion

Which is being a shy small town girl who never wanted to speak in front of people because of fear of what they think or say. Years after her diagnosis she has become one of the most well know breast cancer activist in the United States. She believes that God brought her through the cancer the first time and used it for good. She also believes that the cancer has made her marriage and family stronger. Cancer can cause depression, body image issues, anxiety and fear, but your attitude about your diagnosis can make a big difference during your treatment. Always try to stay positive and when you you’re a survivor try to make a difference to help

African American’s experience with cancer treatment is different than other ethnicities in the treatments they choose and how the treatments ultimately work. “Although breast-conserving surgery rates have increased among African American women, they still lag behind utilization rates of white women” (Shaver, Brown 339) Although black women choosing mastectomy over breast-conserving may be culturally relative, there are clear quality of life improvements for those who chose breast conserving surgery. (Shaver, Brown 339) If so, then why do African American women choose mastectomy more often? A possible reason can be a lack of knowledge concerning breast cancer and its treatments. Going back to the idea that viewing cancer as a white person’s disease will lead to a lack of interest in learning about cancer. Another aspect to treatment is rejecting treatment all together. It has been shown that “older blacks prefer the use of self-help treatment rather than medical treatments” (Goodwin et al 978) The preference for self-help treatment stems from religious ideologies. Treatment of cancer is directly related to how likely someone will be able survive cancer. Some treatments are proven to be more effective than others yet African American women “had shorter overall survival and disease free survival than white women who received similar adjacent chemotherapy rates.” (Shavers, Brown 338) This difference in prognosis after

This research was conducted to get an inside perspective of how Dominican woman live with late-stage cancer. It is one of the few studies to concentrate on Hispanic women. An illness such as cancer has a tremendous impact on a person. The researchers found six applicants than qualified for the study through an outpatient cancer outreach center in New York City. Their criteria were the following: 21 years and older; born in the US; spoke fluent English; diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer; receiving adjuvant therapy; and lived in New York City area.

Hope Cancer Resources is an organization that “provides compassionate, professional cancer support and education in the Northwest Arkansas region today and tomorrow (Support Groups of NWA, n.d.).” Hope Cancer Resources serves a large variety of cancer patients in NWA and surrounding areas, including Central Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. They provide many services and interventions to clients such as financial assistance, emotional support, tobacco cessation, and transportation. From a social services perspective, one of their most effective interventions is support groups. Hope Cancer Resources offers seventeen different supports groups that are diagnosis, gender, or activity specific. Many patients engage in the services,

In order to assess those two areas, the researchers asked the peers, teachers, and parents of each patient to evaluate the patient’s social and emotional wellbeing. Subsequently, the patients also completed a self-report. Contradicting their hypothesis, the children with cancer were found to be more sociable than their counterparts. The results also revealed that children with cancer were more socially accepting and possessed high levels of leadership. With demographic variables being accounted for, children with cancer did not display any significant differences in emotional and social health in comparison to their peers.

Carr, B. (2013). Psychological aspects of cancer: A guide to emotional and psychological consequences of cancer, their causes and their management. New York: Springer.

The effects of a cancer diagnosis can be absolutely devastating, not only for the patient, but for family and loved ones as well. People affected by cancer have to cope with not only cancer treatments, but also with the stress, financial concerns, and the emotions that are part of living with cancer. Fortunately, nobody has to face these problems alone; The Center for Building Hope has free services that can help. “The Center for Building Hope offers free information, programs, and services to cancer patients, caregivers and family members, while connecting them with others who are going through a similar experience. These services are available through

- Fact/evidence to support reason #2: Social and emotional issues can come up during or after treatment for cancer.

Online Support Groups: An Annotated Bibliography Im, E. (2011). Online Support of Patients and Survivors of Cancer. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 27(3), 229-236. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2011.04.008 Im explores the use of online support groups by cancer patients and/or survivors in her research article.

While the completion of treatment is excitedly anticipated, many cancer survivors would still be disturbed by the emotional and physical tribulation of their breast cancer trajectory (Surbone & Peccatori, 2006). This is because, the impact of cancer remains long even after treatment ended. Besides the common issues that accompany any cancer diagnosis, breast cancer survivors also have to deal with exclusive concerns such as decreased sexual function, relationship issues, fears about genetic inheritability of cancer and complications from this disease such as lymphedema (Hodgkinson, Butow, Fuchs, et al., 2007). Therefore, the completion of treatment does not equate to lesser need for health care. Long term health issues related to breast cancer survivors have thus emerged as a public health concern.

Bibliographic information: Richard C. Cardoso & Peter J. Gerngross & Theresa M. Hofstede & Donna M. Weber & Mark S. Chambers. Support Care Cancer (2014) 22:259–267 DOI 10.1007/s00520-013-1960-y.