Discordance in Perceptions of Barriers to Breast Cancer Treatment Between Hispanic Women and Their Providers

Authors

Swapna Reddy, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Mary Saxon, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Nina Patel, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Matthew Speer, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Tiffany Ziegler, Midwestern UniversityFollow
Nirali Patel, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAFollow
Madison Ziegler, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Stephany Esquivel, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Andrea Daniella Mata, University of Texas at El PasoFollow
Asha Devineni, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Pooja Paode, Arizona State UniversityFollow
Nitika Thawani, University of Arizona College of Medicine – PhoenixFollow
Subhakar Mutyala, University of Arizona College of Medicine – PhoenixFollow

Publication Date

10-23-2020

Keywords

breast cancer, health disparities, Hispanic women, social determinants of health, provider-patient relationship, health equity, patient focus

Abstract

Despite comparable screening and incidence rates that are 26% below that of non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic women present with breast cancer at more advanced stages of disease, representing a continuing and troubling health disparity for this population. Reducing these disparities warrant more innovative research approaches to better understand perspectives of Hispanic patients regarding barriers to treatment and how these perspectives compare to those of their providers. A pilot qualitative study was conducted at a major urban cancer center in Arizona that measured both patient and provider perspectives regarding barriers to treatment. Through a multimethod qualitative analysis, researchers surveyed patients and providers to identify perceived barriers and discordance in shared understanding. Data collection and analysis consisted of surveying patients and providers, then performing inductive qualitative analysis. Results indicated the highest concordance, or shared understanding, between patients and providers was in recognizing barriers within delivery of care, such as cost of care and insurance coverage. The greatest discordance, or gaps in shared understanding, existed in upstream barriers of the health care system, such as emotional support and trust in systems. These results underscore the gap in shared understanding between patients and providers regarding upstream barriers to care as well as the nonclinical social determinants of health Hispanic patients face in accessing breast cancer treatment. More research is warranted using this approach as a tool to reduce health disparities.

Recommended Citation

Reddy S, Saxon M, Patel N, Speer M, Ziegler T, Patel N, Ziegler M, Esquivel S, Mata AD, Devineni A, Paode P, Thawani N, Mutyala S. Discordance in perceptions of barriers to breast cancer treatment between Hispanic women and their providers. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2020;7:337-42. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.1751