Little is known about poor and low income women with breast cancer. Available research demonstrates that low income women are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage breast cancer and to face higher mortality from the disease. Recent increased attention has been paid to investigating barriers to and providing screening for breast cancer for these women. However, little empirical research has focused on how economically disadvantaged women access treatment. The broad objective of this study is to explore the barriers that may deter access to care for poor and low income women with breast cancer in order to promote appropriate health care policy, health service delivery, and practice. The specific aims are: 1. To explore the illness experiences of poor and low income women with breast cancer from the women's own perspectives; 2. To identify barriers and burdens the women may encounter to appropriate prevention, screening, and, in particular, treatment services; and, 3. To generate experientially-derived hypotheses for further testing in a larger study of diverse populations of poor and low income women with the disease. The research design employs a qualitative methodology of in-depth, narrative interviews in order to collect data about these women's experiences with breast cancer. Interviews with 24 women will be held in two major urban areas, Washington, DC and Chicago, IL, each with significant economically disadvantaged populations. Tape recorded interviews will be transcribed and the data analyzed with a three-stage content analysis. The women's experiences will serve as a knowledge base from which to determine whether economic, personal, or health system barriers impede access t o care and to set the stage for further research to improve outreach, health interventions, service delivery, and support for current and future populations of poor and low income women with breast cancer.