 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Ann C Klassen, PhD, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 624 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410 955 2218, aklassen@jhsph.edu
Research on disadvantage in health has identified perceived discrimination as one of many factors which discourage African-Americans from using the health care system. However, results to date do not fully explain why some disadvantaged persons do accept health promotion messages and use preventive care, while others do not. Using survey data from 576 African-American women in a US city, this research explores the prevalence and predictors of beliefs and experiences related to social disengagement, discrimination, desired and actual racial concordance with medical providers, dissatisfaction with medical care, and fear of medical research, and the relationship between these factors and personal motivation to receive breast cancer screening.
Findings indicated that older women were less likely than younger women to be motivated to screen. Depressive symptoms, anomie, and fear of medical research were independent predictors of low motivation. Motivation was low among women who say they would be more comfortable with an African-American provider, regardless of whether they had one currently. However, higher scores on an index of views of discrimination against African-Americans positively predicted motivation, as did talking to others when experiencing discrimination oneself. Talking to others was most influential with women who expressed depressive symptoms. Feelings of powerlessness - as indicated by depression, anomie, fear of deception, and discomfort with non-Black physicians - are barriers to health maintenance. Findings suggest that women who recognize their connection to other African-American women, and who talk about negative experiences, are most able to use the majority medical system for their health.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Breast Cancer, Social Inequalities
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.