 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Ana F. Abraído-Lanza, PhD and Charisse Y. Gates. Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10032
Cancer Screening Among Latina Women: The Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Acculturation
Ana F. Abraido-Lanza, Ph.D. and Charisse Y. Gates, Columbia University, Mailman School Public Health
Studies indicate that Latina women receive fewer cancer screening tests than their non-Latina white counterparts. Current hypotheses concerning the differences in these screening rates predominantly focus on socioeconomic/structural or cultural explanations. Recent research on acculturation suggests that Latino cultural values or other culture-specific factors may be associated with this disparity in screening behavior. We tested a theoretical model concerning the mechanisms by which SES and acculturation may affect screening practices. We compared Latinas and non-Latina whites living in the United States on two cancer screening behaviors: recent clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammogram, using data from the 1992 Cancer Control Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey. Analyses included 5,552 women, of whom 711 (12.8%) were Latinas and 4,841 (87.2%) non-Latina whites aged 18 or over (M = 46.80 years, SD = 18.42). Relative to non-Latina whites, Latinas were less likely to have had a CBE (OR = .53); but no significant differences were found for mammograms. Multivariate regression analyses indicated that age, education, income, acculturation (assessed as years lived in the United States), and quality of health care predicted receipt of recent CBEs. In analyses concerning recent mammogram screening, age was the only significant predictor. Interestingly, beliefs about cancer survival (fatalism; a potential mediator) did not predict cancer screenings. We conclude that in addition to socioeconomic and structural factors (e.g. quality of health care), acculturation is an important factor in explaining receipt of recent CBE among Latina women.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Culture, Screening
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.