Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Rosalie F. Young, MA, PhD, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 4201 St. Antoine, University Health Center, Detroit, MI 48201, 313 577-6681, ryoung@med.wayne.edu and Lee Kallenbach, PhD, Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 4201 St. Antoine, University Health Center, Detroit, MI 48201.

Background: Reasons for the breast cancer screening gap between high risk minorities and Caucasians are not clear, particularly why disparities increase after age 50. Research largely addresses economic/insurance deficits, although newer studies show that structural (economic, health system related), personal (attitudes, perceptions, beliefs), and medical (physician communication, contact) factors all inhibit screening. Purpose: Identify multiple barriers to cancer screening in older African American residents of a high breast cancer risk area. Method: Using geo-coding and multi-stage random sampling in an area with high rates of late stage breast cancer, subjects were selected for a population-specific survey. Subjects: 320 African American females. Results: Data analyses among 181 women age appropriate for mammography showed that structural, personal, and medical barriers all inhibited screening, but personal barriers prevailed. Subjects age 40-49, 50-64, and 65+ showed differential screening rates and personal barriers. 65+ women had a higher tendency toward screening, less fear (p < .05), and more trust in the health care system, despite less cancer risk information. Insurance was similar in the cohorts, illustrating the importance of personal barriers for people aged 65+. Conclusions: Although African Americans from areas with late stage detection of breast cancer had several barriers to screening, personal barriers prevailed, especially among the oldest females. These barriers are associated with attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs, so might be reduced through behaviorally-focused education and outreach strategies. Such efforts should consider both racial and age disparities in breast cancer screening and preventive care

Learning Objectives:

• Realize the impact of age and residence in high cancer risk areas on screening.
• Differentiate several types of screening inhibiting behavior.
• Understand the limited role of economic and insurance factors in screening high risk women.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Screening, Minority Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered