Abstract
Purpose: Black women with breast cancer face significant disparities, including high levels of pain. Depressive symptoms and self-efficacy for pain management impact how women with breast cancer manage pain, yet little is known about how these variables relate to pain specifically for Black women with breast cancer. Methods: Baseline regression analyses were conducted using a sample of women (n=98) with stage I-III breast cancer identifying as Black or African-American who were part of a larger intervention trial. Model 1 explored depressive symptoms and pain (i.e., severity and interference). Model 2 explored self-efficacy for pain management and pain. Covariates were age (M=57.22,SD=10.76), cancer stage (50%=stage 1), and education level (36%=some college). Results: Participants reported moderate levels of pain severity and interference. Higher depressive symptoms were related to both higher pain severity and interference; (B=.06, p<.01, 95% CI [.02,.09], β=.32) and (B=.13, p<.001, 95% CI [.09, 17], β=.55) respectively. Likewise, lower self-efficacy for pain management was also related to both higher pain severity and interference; (B=-.04, p<.001, 95% CI [-.05,-.02], β=-.44) and (B=-.06, p<.001, 95% CI [-.08,-.04], β=-.53) respectively. Women reporting less than a high school diploma endorsed significantly higher pain severity and interference than women reporting some college. Age and cancer stage were not significantly related to pain.Conclusion: Pain for Black women with breast cancer may be influenced by depressive symptoms and self-efficacy for pain management, in addition to other important variables. Attending to better assessment and treatment of depressive symptoms and self-efficacy for pain management may improve outcomes.