Presentation Title
Understanding Behaviors: Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment and Stress Among Black Women Breast Cancer Survivors
Faculty Mentor
Mikel Hogan, Ph.D., Department of Human Services, California State University, Fullerton
Start Date
23-11-2019 8:45 AM
End Date
23-11-2019 9:30 AM
Location
28
Session
poster 2
Type of Presentation
Poster
Subject Area
behavioral_social_sciences
Abstract
Understanding Behaviors: Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment and Stress Among Black Women Breast Cancer Survivor
Author: Kimberly Hardaway, California State University, Fullerton
Mentor: Mikel Hogan, Ph.D., Department of Human Services, California State University, Fullerton
Women who have survived breast cancer may experience cognitive sequela, known as “chemo brain,” which is associated with brain alterations as a result of undergoing chemotherapy. Women represent a growing group of cancer survivors who frequently return to their occupational, scholastic, or familial activities, which all rely heavily on the integrity of cognitive functioning. Historically, there has always been un-proportionate levels of disparities, social support, lack of educational material, and other resources provided to Black communities. Because of this lack of support, Black women are not provided the materials needed to understand the decline in their cognitive functioning, which causes unnecessary stress. Therefore, we need to clearly understand the impact of chemotherapy on the brain. I ask, what is the correlation between Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment (PCCI) and Stress among Black women breast cancer survivors? The methodology used to address these issues are a focus group of survivors who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatment for at least one year, self-reported questionnaires for demographics, and ArcGIS to geocode physical locations. Also used are assessment scales that include DASS-21 to measure depression, anxiety, and stress; the AFI to measure cognitive functioning; and the VAS-F to determine the level of fatigue. Expected results are that Black women who receive chemotherapy suffer from cognitive impairment, without detection, more often than other women who receive chemotherapy. This may be due to the lack of materials needed to understand PCCI, which could be associated with a greater level of stress of not knowing how to cope with these symptoms.
Keywords: Post-chemotherapy, cognitive, impairment, breast, cancer, stress,
Black, chemo-brain, alterations, survivors
Understanding Behaviors: Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment and Stress Among Black Women Breast Cancer Survivors
28
Understanding Behaviors: Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment and Stress Among Black Women Breast Cancer Survivor
Author: Kimberly Hardaway, California State University, Fullerton
Mentor: Mikel Hogan, Ph.D., Department of Human Services, California State University, Fullerton
Women who have survived breast cancer may experience cognitive sequela, known as “chemo brain,” which is associated with brain alterations as a result of undergoing chemotherapy. Women represent a growing group of cancer survivors who frequently return to their occupational, scholastic, or familial activities, which all rely heavily on the integrity of cognitive functioning. Historically, there has always been un-proportionate levels of disparities, social support, lack of educational material, and other resources provided to Black communities. Because of this lack of support, Black women are not provided the materials needed to understand the decline in their cognitive functioning, which causes unnecessary stress. Therefore, we need to clearly understand the impact of chemotherapy on the brain. I ask, what is the correlation between Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment (PCCI) and Stress among Black women breast cancer survivors? The methodology used to address these issues are a focus group of survivors who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatment for at least one year, self-reported questionnaires for demographics, and ArcGIS to geocode physical locations. Also used are assessment scales that include DASS-21 to measure depression, anxiety, and stress; the AFI to measure cognitive functioning; and the VAS-F to determine the level of fatigue. Expected results are that Black women who receive chemotherapy suffer from cognitive impairment, without detection, more often than other women who receive chemotherapy. This may be due to the lack of materials needed to understand PCCI, which could be associated with a greater level of stress of not knowing how to cope with these symptoms.
Keywords: Post-chemotherapy, cognitive, impairment, breast, cancer, stress,
Black, chemo-brain, alterations, survivors