Emotional Suffering and the Use of Spirituality as a Resource among African American Cancer Survivors

Excerpt

U. S. populations have benefitted tremendously from advances in cancer care. The American Cancer Society [1] reports that since the 1960s, the 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined has increased from 39 to 70% for whites and from 27 to 63% for blacks [1]. In spite of these advances, African Americans continue to experience the greater burden from cancer. African Americans experience the highest mortality rates and shortest survival rates of any U. S. racial/ethnic population [1]. Research that examines factors that contribute to the high mortality rates among African American cancer patients has generally focused on social determinants such as income, education, housing, access to healthy food, and racism [1]. However, less attention has been given to the emotional suffering experienced among African American cancer patients [2]. …