Latinas Contra Cancer

The goal of this study is to prevent over screening and over treatment of young women for cervical precancers, which can result in psychological distress and has been associated with future risk of premature deliveries. Current national guidelines recommend that routine screening be performed at less-frequent intervals and that excisional cervical therapies are discouraged in young women. The objectives of this study are to examine physician- and patient-based interventions designed to decrease over screening and over treatment by increasing adherence to US guidelines for women under 30 years.

Latina breast cancer survivors report lower quality of life (QOL) than non-Latina survivors. Lower QOL can lead to poorer functional and cancer-related survival outcomes. The friends and family of Latina cancer patients are also impacted by a loved one's diagnosis of breast cancer. Through strong community-academic partnerships, the investigators seek to improve the QOL of Latina survivors and their caregivers with a culturally-relevant intervention. In this project, the investigators plan to further develop and refine the intervention and then test it through a randomized controlled trial. First, the investigators will conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with 10 survivor-caregiver dyads (pairs) to see if the intervention fits for survivors and caregivers in different parts of the country. Then, the investigators will revise the intervention. Finally, the investigators will test the intervention in a randomized controlled trial. The investigators will invite 125 survivor-caregiver dyads to be a part of our study. Half will be asked to complete the intervention and half will be offered the usual services, such as support groups. The information learned from this study could help improve the quality of life in Latina breast cancer survivors and their caregivers. Physicians, survivors, and community groups can also benefit from this study because they will have more information about the needs of Latina breast cancer survivors. The investigators hope to use the information to help other types of survivors and caregivers in the future.