Abstract A017: Assessing the impact of non-medical drivers of health on cancer survivorship in Hispanic/Latina women

Abstract Hispanic/Latina (H/L) women in the U.S., particularly those living in medically underrepresented regions like South Texas (STX), face notable health inconsistencies in cancer survivorship, including poorer quality of life (QOL) and limited access to supportive care. Few studies have quantitatively examined how multiple non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH) jointly influence QOL outcomes in this population, especially among breast and cervical cancer survivors living in border regions. Emerging literature underscores the role of NMDoH—such as financial hardship, social isolation, and access barriers—in exacerbating survivorship outcome. This study aims to examine which NMDoH factors predict poor QOL among Latina breast and cervical cancer survivors in STX. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from Avanzando Caminos, an ongoing NCI-funded prospective cohort study investigating how sociocultural, behavioral, psychological, and medical factors influence symptom burden, QOL, and clinical outcomes among H/L cancer survivors. Participants included H/L women (n=170) who had completed treatment for breast or cervical cancer within the past 10 years. To assess NMDoH, we cross-referenced items from the Avanzando Salud: Cancer Health Research Center NMDoH Screener—an instrument developed by the Center to investigate NMDoH in STX—with variables from the Avanzando Caminos study. This included measures of financial strain, transportation needs, physical activity, healthcare access, and social support. QOL was assessed using site-specific scales derived from the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT); FACT-B for breast cancer and FACT-Cx for cervical cancer survivors. Multivariable linear regressions were used to estimate associations between NMDoH and QOL, adjusting for sociodemographics and clinical covariates. Across both groups, financial strain was significantly associated with lower QOL scores (breast: β = -3.41 and cervical: β = -8.65; p 0.05), as was the number of comorbidities (cervical: β = -4.49; p 0.01). Among breast cancer survivors, exercise engagement (β = 4.85; p 0.05), which was linked to higher QOL. While similar trends were seen among cervical cancer survivors, these associations did not reach statistical significance in the overall F-test, likely due to limited sample size. In conclusion, QOL among breast cancer survivors showed stronger and statistically significant associations with NMDoH factors—including financial strain, exercise, and healthcare access—compared to cervical cancer survivors. These findings suggest that lower QOL is linked to the unmet NMDoH needs, particularly financial hardship and comorbid conditions. This underscores the importance of addressing these factors through culturally tailored, community-based strategies, such as patient navigation and community health worker models, to connect survivors with critical resources. Integrating systematic NMDoH assessments into survivorship care may help enhance supportive services and improve long-term outcomes for H/L cancer survivors. Citation Format: Derek Rodriguez, Patricia Chalela, Ysabel R. Lew, Natalie Rodriguez, Juan C. Nevarez Ramos, Jacqueline Cardenas, Carla D. Carmona, Edgar Munoz, Byeong Yeob Choi, Chen-Pin Wang, Yanet Manresa, Madeline H. Krause, Dolores Perdomo, Akina Natori, Steve Cole, Frank J. Penedo, Amelie G. Ramirez. Assessing the impact of non-medical drivers of health on cancer survivorship in Hispanic/Latina women abstract. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A017.