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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 2 = 341.46, p < 0.001). While mothers with adult children reported poorer quality of life (QoL) than mothers with young children (physically unhealthy days, t = -2.2, df = 526, p < 0.05; total unhealthy days, t = -1.2, df = 533, p < 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 ( r = -0.12) and a stronger sense of psychosocial empowerment ( r = 0.10) (all p 's < 0.05). In an adjusted multivariate regression model of QoL, as empowerment increased, the influence of PN quality decreased (ß = -0.007, SE of ß = 0.00, p = 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.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk for medical and psychosocial late effects of their disease and its treatment and are recommended to receive annual follow-ups. Yet, rates of follow-up adherence are suboptimal and may be influenced by the organization and delivery of their healthcare. This research aimed to examine experts' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to healthcare organization and delivery to CCS., Procedure: Thirty-one clinicians and administrators in a comprehensive cancer center's research consortium were interviewed about system-level factors that may promote or deter annual follow-ups among CCS. Interview transcripts were coded and inductively analyzed using a study-specific scheme., Results: Three main themes were identified: (1) healthcare system influences (59%); (2) social determinants of health (25%); and (3) intra/interpersonal factors (16%). Prominent subthemes included age-related changes in the transition of healthcare responsibility that disrupt ongoing CCS care (28.1%), the breadth and quality of psychosocial support available to navigate CCS to follow-up (13.5%), and transportation challenges (24.6%; especially in low-resource areas). In contrast, community trust facilitated follow-up (17.3%)., Conclusion: The system of healthcare was prominent in receipt of follow-up by CCS, and further influenced by social determinants of health and intra/interpersonal factors. Easing transitions of responsibility (from parents to CCS, and acute care to survivorship teams) may be beneficial, especially when social determinants of health obstacles are present. Psychosocial wrap-around care is essential, along with promoting staff awareness of obstacles that CCS encounter in low-resource communities., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)