Differences in Coping Among African American Women With Breast Cancer and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To determine differences in psychological distress, symptoms, coping capacity, and coping abilities among African American (AA) women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC and to explore differences in relationships among these variables.
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Design: A prospective, descriptive, comparative, and correlational design.
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Setting: Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Sample: 30 AA women with breast cancer.
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Methods: Patients completed questionnaires during chemotherapy. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping was used to guide the research.
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Main Research Variables: Psychological distress, symptoms, coping capacity, and coping ability.
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Findings: Patients with non-TNBC reported more intense present total pain, nausea and vomiting, better emotional functioning, lower cognitive functioning, use of significantly more prayer and hope, and more coping self-statements. A lower coping capacity score was associated with psychological distress in the TNBC group at midpoint and in both groups at completion of chemotherapy treatment. Patients in both groups used a higher level of positive religious coping.
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Conclusions: AA women with TNBC and non-TNBC might benefit (reduced psychological distress and improved coping skills) from receiving a comprehensive psychological care program. The findings can be incorporated and tested in a comprehensive coping strategy program.
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Implications for Nursing: Nurses should work closely with AA women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy to help them identify and consciously use coping strategies associated with increased coping capacity.