| Sumario: | Psychosocial Dimensions of Care Significance & Background: Advanced cancer profoundly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of patients and their caregivers. Hispanic populations experience disproportionate challenges due to cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic barriers in accessing tailored supportive oncology care. The evidence-based dyadic psycho-educational program, FOCUS (Family involvement, Optimistic attitude, Coping effectiveness, Uncertainty reduction, Symptom management), has demonstrated effectiveness but has been evaluated primarily among white populations. However, research addressing the distinctive psychosocial needs of Hispanic patients and their caregivers remains sparse, particularly studies that account for the cultural norms, language, and sociostructurally factors that shape their lived experiences. Purpose: To systematically translate and culturally adapt the FOCUS intervention into FOCUS Corazón, aiming for linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and acceptability for Hispanic cancer patients and their caregivers. Interventions: This project applied the Participatory and Iterative Process Framework for Language Adaptation (PIPFLA) to guide the translation process. Educational materials were forward-translated into Spanish word-by-word and line-by-line to preserve the original intent. A second native Spanish speaker, blinded to the source text, conducted a backward translation into English to verify conceptual equivalence and maintain the message's essence. Discrepancies between the original and back-translated versions were systematically documented, cataloged, and reviewed by the research team. Nuances in phrasing, cultural meanings, and linguistic patterns were analyzed to refine the translations. Special attention was given to themes, such as family involvement, coping strategies, and symptom management, to align with Hispanic cultural values. Results: The translation and back-translation process developed linguistically accurate and culturally adaptive intervention materials. The repeated reviews resolved discrepancies related to grammar, idiomatic expressions, and cultural context, resulting in a finalized version of FOCUS-Corazón for testing. The next step will recruit Hispanic patient-caregiver dyads with advanced cancer, clinicians, and researchers to provide structured feedback on the acceptability, usability, and cultural relevance of the program. Discussion: Our project establishes a rigorous methodology for translating and culturally adapting psychoeducational programs in oncology. FOCUS Corazón provides a foundation for reducing disparities and improving supportive cancer care for Hispanic patients and their families. After collecting and integrating feedback from patients, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers into FOCUS Corazón, we will subsequently pilot test it among patient-caregiver dyads to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability. Ultimately, FOCUS Corazón aims to address disparities in supportive cancer care for Hispanic families and offer a model for adapting evidence-based interventions to other underserved populations.
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