Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Health Services

Advisor

David M. Segal

Abstract

Breast cancer is a global public health issue, and oncology healthcare providers (OHPs’) play a pivotal role in ensuring access to cancer care for their patient population. Caribbean women of color in the United States have the highest death rate of any racial or ethnic group. Strategies have been introduced to reduce this gap, and they still have not addressed the needs of Caribbean women of color, who tend to be diagnosed after developing late-stage breast cancer. No previous studies have explored OHPs' perceptions and lived experiences regarding barriers to healthcare service delivery and access for Caribbean women of color with breast cancer. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study research was to address the gap. Semistructured interviews using an open-ended questionnaire were completed with a purposeful sample of seven OHPs’ selected because of their experience treating Caribbean women of color breast cancer patients from the target population in Broward County, Florida. Interviews were recorded and transcribed using the Zoom video-conferencing platform during the data collection process. A deductive coding procedure using NVivo Pro Plus software was used to analyze and code the research data for content analysis to identify themes until saturation was met. Six themes and eight subthemes were revealed after thematic analysis. The findings highlight a need for OHPs to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to increase access to care, advance knowledge through education and dispel any cultural or religious practices in correcting the individual and organizational barriers. This study may promote positive social change by educating OPHs’, maximizing access to care equitably, and improving health outcomes for Caribbean women of color.

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