Abstract
Background: The differences in mortality and incidence for lung cancer in African Americans are well-documented; however, the underlying reasons for these disparities are not well-delineated. The role that patient preferences and knowledge play in exploring these patterns among African American patients is unclear. This qualitative study was designed to explore potential themes involving treatment, and assess the level of general knowledge about lung cancer in African Americans.
Methods: 32 African American smokers with ages ranging from 26 to 70 years of age, (mean, 47.5 years), who did not have a cancer diagnosis were recruited to a series of focus groups held in a Boston housing complex. Four focus groups were held over an 8-week period. The groups were evenly divided between men and women. Focus groups were facilitated by a trained qualitative researcher and the sessions were audio taped. The data was transcribed and analyzed using standard anthropology coding and thematic formulation processes.
Results: Participants understood the link between smoking and lung cancer, as well as the common signs and symptoms of the disease. Regarding prevention, participants wanted the information to be in-depth, and tailored to their situation. They were familiar with the lethality of lung cancer, and had a good working knowledge of the treatment modalities. The impact of patient preferences and mistrust on treatment choice was minimal. When asked specifically about the role of race in getting appropriate treatment for lung cancer; most participants felt that insurance and socioeconomic factors were more important than race.
Conclusions: This study suggests that African American smokers are informed about the link between smoking and lung cancer, and have a good working knowledge of the disease. Participants did not feel that their race prevented them from accessing high-quality cancer care, but were concerned about the effect of socioeconomic status and insurance on this process. Our study suggests that African Americans are interested in access to quality cancer treatment and information, and that patient preferences and mistrust of clinicians may not be major factors in lung cancer treatment disparities.
Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A14.
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