This article was originally published here
Psychooncology. 2020 Jul 16. doi: 10.1002/pon.5481. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We report results of a community-based multisite, randomized controlled trial of Nuevo Amanecer (NA-II), a 10-week stress management program for rural, low literacy Latina breast cancer survivors.
METHODS: Trained peers delivered NA-II to Spanish-speaking Latinas with non-metastatic breast cancer in three rural communities. Women were randomized to receive the program immediately or wait 6 months. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Primary outcomes were breast cancer-specific quality of life domains; secondary outcomes included general distress symptoms and stress management skills. Intention-to-treat analyses using repeated-measures linear regression models estimated changes in slope between groups.
RESULTS: Of 153 participants (76 randomized to intervention, 77 to control group), 92% were retained at 6 months. Mean age was 54.8 years (SD = 10.5); 80% had less than high school education. There were no statistically significant treatment x time effects on quality of life. Compared to women in the control group, intervention group women reported greater improvements in anxiety at 6 months (-0.20 vs -0.02, P = .049; range 0-4) as well as three stress management skills: relaxation at 3 months (+0.98 vs -0.07, P < .0001; range 0-4) and 6 months (+0.82 vs +0.04, P < .001), awareness of tension at 3 months (+0.31 vs -0.19, P < .01; range 0-4) and 6 months (+0.29 vs -0.11, P < .05), and coping confidence at 3 months (+0.12 vs -0.23, P < .01; range 0-4).
CONCLUSIONS: Stress management programs delivered by trained peers in rural community settings can reduce anxiety and improve stress management skills among Latina breast cancer survivors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID:32672864 | DOI:10.1002/pon.5481

