Introduction One in ten women over the age of 65 will
develop breast cancer. Despite this high incidence of breast
cancer among older women, social support for them is often
inadequate. This paper describes a qualitative study of the
impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on older women from
racially/ethnically diverse populations and their subsequent
need for social support.
Methods Forty-seven older African American, Asian
American, Caucasian and Latina women between the ages
of 65 to 83 participated in a larger study examining the
impact of breast cancer on women from racially/ethnically
diverse populations and the meaning and nature of social
support. The women completed an in-depth qualitative
interview on the psychosocial impact of breast cancer and
the meaning and nature of social support.
Results and Conclusion The results indicate that there are
variations in reactions to a breast cancer diagnosis among
older women, and that these reactions impact their
experiences with seeking social support at diagnosis and
during treatment. Respondents were concerned about their
aging bodies, potential dependency on others, and loss of
autonomy. At the same time, the severity of cancer
treatment and existing co-morbidities often meant they
needed to learn to receive support, and to reach out if they
had no support. The implications of these findings
underscore the older cancer patient’s need to strengthen
her supportive networks at the time of diagnosis, during
treatment, and post-treatment.