Abstract
Background: An estimated 18.6 million individuals in the United States are cancer survivors, with survivorship outcomes shaped by clinical and sociodemographic factors. Cancer is now the leading cause of death among Hispanic/Latino individuals (H/Ls). However, a significant gap exists in the literature regarding cancer survivorship and the role that familism (e.g., familial support, obligation, and referent) may play in influencing psychological distress (e.g., anxiety and depression). This study investigates the relationship between familism and psychological distress and evaluates the potential moderating role of religiosity among Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors.
Methods: (H/L) cancer survivors (n=985) completed baseline assessments as part of a larger prospective cohort study, Avanzando Caminos (“Leading Pathways”), focused on H/L survivorship. Familism, anxiety, depression, and religiosity were assessed using validated measures. All analyses were conducted using SAS software. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models were used to examine the association between familism and psychological distress as well as the moderating role of religiosity.
Results: The sample included 985 participants (mean age = 62.2 years; 51.2% male). Higher familial support was associated with increased anxiety (p<.01). In contrast, higher familial obligation was associated with lower anxiety (p=0.05) and depression (p<.01). Higher family as referent was associated with lower depression (p<.01) but was not statistically significant with anxiety. No significant moderating effects of intrinsic religiosity were observed on the associations between familism and psychological distress across models.
Conclusions: Religiosity did not moderate the relationship between familism and psychological distress. Findings suggest that certain aspects of familism may negatively impact the psychological well-being of H/L cancer survivors, highlighting the complex and non-uniform role of family dynamics in this population.