Providing Food Assistance to Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients with - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Providing Food Assistance to Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients with Food Insecurity Significantly Improves Their Adherence to Adjuvant Therapy. Sabrina Caramando, Emmaline Longnecker, Tracy F. Weisberg, Christian A. Thomas.

Overview • Background of food insecurity in Maine • NECS partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank • Introduction to food insecurity research at NECS • Methods • Results • Conclusions & Take-Aways

Background Food Insecurity in Maine • 16% of Maine residents are food insecure - 7 th highest in the Nation • Positive associations with poor health - “Food Insecurity Among Cancer Patients in Kentucky: A Pilot Study” * affordable medication, quality of life, SES, nutritional risk, depression

http://www.downtownbangor.com/event/dirigo-speaks-presents-kristen-miale-president-good-shepherd-food-bank/ • Good Shepherd Food Bank partnership • Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) survey - Food insecurity question • Food bags given out by financial advisors

Past Research at NECS PRO Symptom Averages • FI and cancer 1.6 patient symptom 1.4 burden 1.2 • Significant 1 differences in PRO 0.8 symptoms 0.6 0.4 - Difficulty sleeping, 0.2 fatigue, pain, mood, & 0 Difficulty Sleeping Fatigue Pain Mood Appetite appetite Food Insecurity Food Security

Current Study • Aim - Correlation between FI and adherence to adjuvant therapy • Does providing food assistance change adherence patterns to adjuvant therapy? - food bags

Methods • Compiled data from January 2017 through June 2018 - early stage (0-II) breast cancer patients - adjuvant therapy (hormone) - indication of FI on PRO survey • Number of months on adjuvant therapy • Case controls → disease, stage, age, gender, timeframe of adjuvant therapy

Results Months of Adjuvant Treatment for Early Stage Breast Cancer FI and FS Patients 14 12 n= 59 Months of Adjvant Treatment 10 n= 59 8 6 4 2 0 FS FI

Results (continued) Months of Adjuvant Treatment for FI and FS Patients 14 n= 59 12 Months of Adjuvant Treatment n= 21 10 n= 38 8 6 4 2 0 FI, received assistance FS FI, no assistance

Conclusions & Take-Aways • Food insecurity impacts adjuvant therapy of early stage breast cancer patients - SES factors - PRO symptom burden • Providing food assistance improves adherence to adjuvant therapy and may therefore influence a patients ability to successfully complete treatment

Works Cited Bayly, J. (2018, September 09). Maine ranks highest in New England for food insecurity. http://bangordailynews.com/2018/09/05/homestead/maine-ranks-highest-new-england-for- food-insecurity/ Simmons, L. A., Modesitt, S. C., Brody, A. C., & Leggin, A. B. (2006). Food Insecurity Among Cancer Patients in Kentucky: A Pilot Study. Journal of Oncology Practice, 2 (6), 274-279.