Jane Yap

1 Introduction Breast cancer (BC) remains a significant public health challenge, with approximately 300,000 new cases and 42,000 deaths projected among women in the US in 2024 [1]. In Arizona, BC incidence mirrors national trends with an age-adjusted incidence rate of approximately 121.9 per 100,000 women and about 6000 new cases annually [2].

Psychological safety is critical to early and continued engagement with healthcare providers, yet no studies have explored this concept in relationship to cancer care. Black/African American (“Black”) individuals experience disparities in breast and ovarian cancer beyond what can be explained biologically. We explored factors influencing psychological safety among Black breast and ovarian cancer patients and their family members.