Patient Navigation in Mothers at Risk for and Surviving with Breast/Ovarian Cancer: The Role of Children's Ages in Program Utilization and Health Outcomes

Background/objectives: Many women at risk for and surviving with breast/ovarian cancer are simultaneously raising children. These women often experience unique challenges due to concurrent demands as both parents and patients with cancer. Community-based cancer control organizations offer vital patient navigation (PN), including psychoeducational services. Yet, little is known about how PN addresses these mothers' comprehensive care needs.

Methods: We examined PN program data from N = 1758 women served by a national cancer organization.

Results: Out of the 69% of navigated women who were mothers, most were raising adult children only (age ≥ 18; 56%); however, 31% were mothers with young children only (age < 18), and 13% were mothers with both adult and young children (χ = 341.46, < 0.001). While mothers with adult children reported poorer quality of life (QoL) than mothers with young children (physically unhealthy days, = -2.2, = 526, < 0.05; total unhealthy days, = -1.2, = 533, < 0.05), there were no significant differences in their PN experiences. For mothers with young children, a better QoL was associated with a lower genetic risk for cancer ( = -0.12) and a stronger sense of psychosocial empowerment ( = 0.10) (all 's < 0.05). In an adjusted multivariate regression model of QoL, as empowerment increased, the influence of PN quality decreased (ß = -0.007, of ß = 0.00, = 0.02), suggesting that strengthening mothers of young children's sense of agency over their breast/ovarian cancer is critical to achieving overall well-being.

Conclusions: CBO-led cancer control programming that supportively cares for mothers across their cancer journey can be essential to their QoL, especially for those who are raising minors.