In this study, we plan to develop a culturally relevant supportive care intervention to alleviate high levels of psychological distress experienced among newly diagnosed African American cancer patients and their family caregivers (FCG?s). Storytelling Interventions have been used to promote cancer screening, adherence to follow-up care, and self-care with chronic illness. Interventions that incorporate religious beliefs and spirituality are also emerging and used among African Americans and cancer patients to improve healthy lifestyles (weight loss and healthy eating) and quality of life and end of life experiences among patients and caregivers. However, storytelling and faith-based interventions have not incorporated the rich African American cultural history of turning to the narratives in religious songs to alleviate fears associated with life-threatening illness. Storytelling and faith-based interventions have been shown to promote health outcomes, however, the benefit of combining this rich cultural heritage of storytelling with religious songs and text into interventions has yet to be rigorously evaluated. In the proposed study, we will develop the Faith-Based African American Cancer Survivorship Storytelling Intervention, which is theory-driven, narrative based, and uses a multimedia platform to incorporate religious songs and text into a series of cancer survivorship stories. In our preliminary work, African American cancer survivors were interviewed to capture stories about a stressful diagnosis and treatment, the faith-based coping strategies used, and health outcomes experienced. The PI?s research team has coded this data and identified themes that represent the faith-based coping strategies. In the proposed study, we are requesting support to complete Steps 3 and 4 of this process. In Step 3, concepts from Stress and Coping Theory will guide the process of selecting those video-recorded narratives for professional editing. In Step 4, concepts from Transportation Theory will guide our evaluation of the video recorded narratives for usability and pilot testing for transportation (identification, narrative engagement, and emotional response). Thus, the final product of this study will be those narratives most likely to influence positive affective and behavioral changes among the target population. This pragmatic intervention might be tested in other populations but also readily integrated into healthcare, community, and faith-based settings.
This study proposes to develop a culturally relevant supportive care intervention to alleviate high levels of psychological distress among cancer patients and their family caregivers. The Faith-Based African American Cancer Survivorship Storytelling Intervention is culturally responsive to the needs of African Americans, incorporating their strong religious culture and historical tradition of using stories with religious song and text in response to anxieties and depressed moods. The findings from this study have implications for advancing the science of intervention studies designed to improve psychological distress, leading to enhancements in supportive family relationships and quality of life during the diagnosis of and treatment for cancer.
