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Coming to terms with advanced breast cancer: Black women's narratives from Eastern North Carolina

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  • Mathews, Holly F.
  • Lannin, Donald R.
  • Mitchell, James P.

Abstract

This paper analyzes in-depth interviews with 26 black women who entered the medical system in rural North Carolina with advanced breast disease. In these narratives, women draw on multiple sources of knowledge in order to come to terms with the diagnosis of breast cancer--a biomedically-defined disease that they often refuse to acknowledge or accept. The analysis demonstrates how women relate the meaning of their individual episodes of illness to one or more of the following sources of knowledge: an indigenous model of health emphasizing balance in the blood, popular American notions about cancer, and particular biomedical conceptions about breast disease and its treatment. These narratives provide an important window into the processes involved when individuals attempt to adapt personal experience to pre-existing cultural models, modify such models in the light of new information, and confront conflicts in their own interpretations of the meaning of a single episode of illness.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathews, Holly F. & Lannin, Donald R. & Mitchell, James P., 1994. "Coming to terms with advanced breast cancer: Black women's narratives from Eastern North Carolina," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 789-800, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:38:y:1994:i:6:p:789-800
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    Cited by:

    1. Inna Dabisch & Jürgen Dethling & Charalabos-Markos Dintsios & Melanie Drechsler & Daniel Kalanovic & Peter Kaskel & Frank Langer & Jörg Ruof & Thorsten Ruppert & Daniel Wirth, 2014. "Patient relevant endpoints in oncology: current issues in the context of early benefit assessment in Germany," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Smit, Anri & Coetzee, Bronwynè Jo’sean & Roomaney, Rizwana & Bradshaw, Melissa & Swartz, Leslie, 2019. "Women's stories of living with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 231-245.
    3. Malat, Jennifer R. & van Ryn, Michelle & Purcell, David, 2006. "Race, socioeconomic status, and the perceived importance of positive self-presentation in health care," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(10), pages 2479-2488, May.
    4. Kaiser, Karen, 2008. "The meaning of the survivor identity for women with breast cancer," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 79-87, July.

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