Changes in Symptom Clusters Among Asian American Breast Cancer Survivors in Technology-Based Coaching Intervention

Limited research studies have focused on examining the impact of technology-based interventions in changing symptom clusters among Asian American breast cancer survivors.

The aim of this study was to understand the longitudinal impact of a technology-based program on the symptom cluster experience of Asian American breast cancer survivors.

This is a secondary data analysis that used exploratory factor analysis at each time point (baseline, post-1 month, post-3 months) for the control and intervention groups (N = 199).

The number of symptom clusters remained the same, and the same symptoms remained in similar clusters across the 2 groups. The control group experienced psychological cluster, fatigue cluster, and neck/skin cluster at baseline; psychological cluster, fatigue/dizzy cluster, and neck/skin cluster at post-1 month; and psychological cluster, fatigue/dizzy cluster, and somatic cluster at post-3 months. The intervention group experienced psychological cluster, neck cluster, and appetite/itching cluster at baseline; somatic/anticholinergic cluster, psychological/sexual cluster, and appetite cluster at post-1 month; and psychological cluster, neck cluster, and itching cluster at post-3 months. The psychological and neck clusters shared similar core symptoms of feeling nervous, dry mouth, and cough between the control and intervention groups.

The different symptom cluster experiences may be due to the technology-based intervention where the intervention group receives individual/group coaching/support that may have changed symptom clusters over time. Yet, the true efficacy of the intervention on symptom clusters warrants further investigation.

Clinicians should understand the changes in symptom clusters as well as the presence of core symptoms and take a targeted symptom cluster approach in clinical settings.