Abstract
A significant amount of biomedical research has focused on finding more effective treatments and cures for cancer. However, little research has been conducted on how family caregivers within immigrant and minority communities in the United States experience and understand biomedical, alternative medical, religious, and spiritual forms of cancer treatment for their loved ones. This thesis research explores how Latinx family cancer caregivers experience and engage with cancer care in the United States. Through research, interviews, participant observation, and analysis, the study examines the various components that play a role in a Latinx family cancer caregiver’s experience taking care of a family member with cancer and engaging with cancer care. By interviewing Latinx family cancer caregivers, I found that participants did not only rely on standard biomedical interventions, but they also found it crucial to take on a more holistic approach to cancer care by incorporating alternative medicine, religious practices, and community support. This anthropology study, which emphasizes listening to unheard people’s experiences and perspectives, shows how important it is to listen to stories, as it allows us to view a more complete understanding of how immigrant and minority groups understand and approach US biomedicine and cancer care.