Abstract A127: Evaluating intra-Hispanic disparity in fatalism within a culturally diverse Hispanic population with breast cancer in central Florida: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Although Hispanic women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer and less likely to die from breast cancer compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts, they face unique challenges regarding more aggressive forms of cancer diagnosis and worse quality of life. One of the contributing factors for lower quality of life among Hispanic cancer survivors could be fatalism, as this psychological barrier can often preclude proactive screening and adherence to treatment plans. Therefore, identifying sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with higher fatalism within a Hispanic population will help identify subgroups at risk for a worse prognosis. Methods: This study used data collected for the Hispanic Breast Cancer Study, which recruited Hispanic women (aged ≥ 20 years) with breast cancer from the areas in Central Florida by following the state-mandated patient recruitment procedures. Hispanic origin was self-reported, and the Multidimensional Fatalism Measure (MFM) questionnaire was used to assess general fatalism as well as four fatalism-related beliefs, including religious belief, belief in luck, internal and external loci of control. Each scale used a 5-point Likert-type scale, with higher scores indicating high belief in each scale. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent factors for fatalism. Results: During September 2023 and December 2024, a total of 411 women were recruited, and 390 completed the MFM questionnaire. The sample consists of 210 Puerto Ricans, 34 Colombians, 29 Dominicans, 25 Cubans, 24 Venezuelans, 22 Mexicans, and 46 Other Hispanics. The mean age was 59.5 years, with 4.8 years since cancer diagnosis. The mean fatalism score was 16.4 (95% CI = 15.8 – 17.0), which indicates moderate fatalism. The higher fatalism scores were reported in Dominican, Mexican, and Venezuelan groups (17.4, 17.8, and 17.4, respectively), while Colombians had the lowest score (13.3). Multivariable analysis showed that Colombians compared to Puerto Ricans (β= -4.0) breast cancer survivors with higher household income (β= -2.3 for $20,000-$75,000, β= - 2.4 for ≥ 75,000), higher levels of education (β = -1.9), and more English than Spanish speaking (β= -2.0) reported lower fatalism compared to their respective reference group. In addition, the sample showed high internal locus of control but low external locus of control, both of which were positively correlated with fatalism. Conclusions: There was an intra-Hispanic disparity in fatalism among breast cancer survivors, with higher levels of household income, education, and fluency in English speaking being the significant predictors for lower fatalism. By understanding the factors associated with fatalism, healthcare professionals can tailor their treatment plans and build trust with their patients to facilitate adherence to the treatments and improve quality of life. Citation Format: Liara Lopez Torralba, Eunkyung Lee. Evaluating intra-Hispanic disparity in fatalism within a culturally diverse Hispanic population with breast cancer in central Florida: A cross-sectional study [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 A127.