Coping resources and self-rated health among Latina breast cancer survivors

To examine relationships between coping resources and self-rated health among Latina breast cancer survivors.

Cross-sectional telephone survey.

Four northern California counties.

330 Latina breast cancer survivors within one to five years of diagnosis.

Telephone survey conducted by bilingual and bicultural interviewers.

Predictors were sociodemographic and clinical factors, cancer self-efficacy, spirituality, and social support from family, friends, and oncologists. Outcomes were functional limitations and self-rated health.

Twenty-two percent of women reported functional limitations (n = 73) and 27% reported poor or fair self-rated health (n = 89). Unemployment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.04, 24.46]), mastectomy (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI [1.06, 6.77]), and comorbidity (AOR = 4.09; 95% CI [1.69, 9.89]) were associated with higher risk of functional limitations; cancer self-efficacy had a protective effect (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI [0.18, 0.9]). Comorbidity was associated with higher risk of poor or fair self-rated health (AOR = 4.95; 95% CI [2.13, 11.47]); cancer self-efficacy had a protective effect (AOR = 0.3; 95% CI [0.13, 0.66]).

Comorbidities place Latina breast cancer survivors at increased risk for poor health. Cancer self-efficacy deserves more attention as a potentially modifiable protective factor.

Nurses need to assess the impact of comorbidity on functioning and can reinforce patients' sense of control over cancer and clinician support.