Overcoming: breast cancer and its effect on intimacy in middle aged African-American women.

There is a dearth of literature addressing the impact of breast cancer treatments on intimacy in African-American women. Much of what is known about living with the intimate effects of breast cancer comes from studies composed primarily of White women. Grounded theory was used to discover the personal and intimate concerns of middle-aged African-American women diagnosed with breast cancer African-American interviewers conducted interviews with 15 middle-aged African-American women. Constant comparative analysis revealed a core process of "Overcoming" so they could move on with their lives. Overcoming was influenced by their partner standing by them so they could adjust and tell others that they too could survive breast cancer. For these African-American women, ability to overcome was grounded in their spirituality. This study provides suggestions on how to provide culturally appropriate care to middle-aged African-American women with breast cancer in relation to their personal and intimate lives.