Trajectories of Depression and Anxiety in Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

Objectives: To identify subgroups of Latina breast cancer survivors with unique trajectories of depression and anxiety and examine predictors associated with these subgroups.

Sample & Setting: Secondary analysis of Latina breast cancer survivors (N = 293) from three psychosocial intervention studies.

Methods & Variables: Depression and anxiety were assessed at intake and at weeks 8 and 16. Group-based growth mixture modeling was used to identify subgroups who followed distinct trajectories of depression and anxiety. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of trajectory-based subgroup membership.

Results: Three trajectories emerged for depression: low/moderate-stable (78%), high-improving (7%), and high-stable (15%). Three subgroups based on the trajectories of anxiety were low-stable (73%), high-improving (18%), and high-worsening (9%). Chemotherapy, age, and social support discriminated among the three depression trajectory subgroups. All anxiety trajectory subgroups had significantly different initial scores. No demographic or clinical factors were associated with anxiety trajectories.

Implications for Nursing: Latina women treated for breast cancer are at an elevated risk for depression and anxiety and follow distinct trajectories of these symptoms. Psychosocial interventions are needed to manage these symptoms, particularly for subgroups in which depression and anxiety persist or worsen.