Providing Latino Families with Information and Skills in Coping
with Cancer and Caregiving
Un Abrazo Para La Familia
Lorena VerdugoCommunity Health Advisor
Catherine Marshall, PhD, Francisco A. R. García, MD, MPH
• Recruit families in need of support and teach them how to cope with the effects of cancer
• Design community-based interventions for families experiencing cancer-related stress.
Objectives
•10 low-income families interviewed
•7 families had a family member with breast cancer
•8 out 10 families were Hispanic
BackgroundPilot Research
Family Research Participants
FAMILYID
Family10
Family 9
Family 8
Family 7
Family 6
Family 5
Family 4
Family 3
Family 2
Family 1
Co
un
t
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
.5
0.0
Female Relative
Friend/Caregiver
Granddaughter
Daughter
Sister-in-law
Sister
Mother
Families struggled with: • Skills necessary to cope with Cancer• Dealing with the survivor’s depression• Financial help• Family stress
Pilot Results
Un Abrazo Para la Familia
Recruitment
• Display Board• Program Flyer• Health Fairs• Schools • Parent Groups• Churches• Cancer Clinics• Contact forms
Portable Display Board
Next StepDeveloped Intervention
Curriculum
Program Description• 3 Classes (English or Spanish)
• Designed for individual families
• Classes held at a place and time convenient to each family.
•Skills with coping and caregiving
•Understanding Depression
•Problems Solving
•Breast Cancer Risk Information
•Emotional Support
Content of 3 Hour Class
• Served 61 families
• 99% Hispanic
• 3 Males
Results- Year 1
Results-Year 2
People Served So Far
• 61 Families
• 100% Hispanic
• 100% FemaleDecember 1December 1stst, 2011, 2011
• Two, 1 hour and 30 min sessions is better for families
• Contact families before each session
• 3 Families per session.
Lessons Learned
What Participants Say
““I learned how to use my knowledge to face this I learned how to use my knowledge to face this situation”situation” “Very important work, one tends to ignore lots of things that we really need to face, you helped us” “Very happy about these classes,
very important for the community”
Thank You!
Catherine Marshall, Ph.D. Lorena Verdugo, Community Health Advisor