Elderly, low-income black women need more education about the importance of breast cancer screening

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian-American women in the United States and breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Asian-American women. Early detection through breast cancer screening has been found to improve the rate of survival for breast cancer. This study examined factors associated with breast cancer screening among 345 Vietnamese women ≥40 years old residing in a low-income Houston area. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics, access to care factors, acculturation, and perceived susceptibility and severity of risks. Results showed 38 percent, 49 percent, and 33 percent of the respondents reporting having had a breast self-exam, a clinical breast exam, and a mammogram, respectively. Predictors of breast cancer screening include education, employment, ability to speak English, having lived in the United States for more than five years, and having a regular place of care. Implications of this study include the need for a culturally-relevant educational program for this understudied population.

Download Full-text

Developing a Breast Cancer Screening Program in Nigeria: Evaluating Current Practices, Perceptions, and Possible Barriers

Journal of Global Oncology ◽

10.1200/jgo.2016.007641 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 490-496 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Olalekan Olasehinde ◽

Carla Boutin-Foster ◽

Olusegun I. Alatise ◽

Adewale O. Adisa ◽

Oladejo O. Lawal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

Low Income ◽

Screening Program ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Middle Income ◽

Screening Programs ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

Purpose In low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, women present with advanced breast cancer at an earlier age. Given the limited resources, development of screening programs that parallel resource capabilities of low- and middle-income countries is imperative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions, practices, and barriers regarding clinical breast examination (CBE) screening in a low-income community in Nigeria. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional survey of women age 40 years or older in Ife, Nigeria, using multistaged sampling was performed. Information on sociodemographics, knowledge of breast cancer, screening practices, and willingness to participate in CBE screening was obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results A total of 1,169 women whose ages ranged from 40 to 86 years (mean age, 47.7 years; standard deviation, 8.79 years) were interviewed. The majority of women (94%) knew about breast cancer, whereas 27.5% knew someone who had had breast cancer, the majority of whom (64.5%) had died of the disease. Of the 36% of women who had breast screening recommended to them, only 19.7% had an actual CBE. Of these, only 6% had it in the last year. The majority of women (65.4%) were willing to have regular CBEs and did not care about the sex of the examiner in most instances. Lack of perceived need was the reason cited by women unwilling to participate. Conclusion The majority of women were aware of breast cancer and knew it as a fatal disease. With the relatively encouraging number of those willing to be examined, a carefully designed CBE program coupled with advocacy to correct uneducated beliefs seems promising.

Download Full-text

Breast cancer screening among ethnically diverse low-income women in a general hospital psychiatry clinic

General Hospital Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0163-8343(99)00036-5 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 374-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Lois C Friedman ◽

Allison Moore ◽

John A Webb ◽

Lucy J Puryear

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

General Hospital ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

Low Income ◽

Ethnically Diverse ◽

Psychiatry Clinic ◽

General Hospital Psychiatry ◽

Low Income Women ◽

Hospital Psychiatry

Download Full-text

Examining Breast Cancer Screening Behavior Among Southern Black Women After the 2009 US Preventive Services Task Force Mammography Guideline Revisions

Journal of Community Health ◽

10.1007/s10900-019-00697-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 20-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Deeonna E. Farr ◽

Heather M. Brandt ◽

Swann Arp Adams ◽

Venice E. Haynes ◽

Andrea S. Gibson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Black Women ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

Task Force ◽

Preventive Services ◽

Screening Behavior

Download Full-text

Barriers to and discourses about breast cancer prevention among immigrant women in Spain: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021425 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. e021425 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sebastià March ◽

Barbara Villalonga ◽

Carmen Sanchez-Contador ◽

Clara Vidal ◽

Aina Mascaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Cancer Prevention ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

Low Income ◽

Immigrant Women ◽

Breast Cancer Prevention ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Socioeconomic Class ◽

Low Socioeconomic

ObjectivesTo identify knowledge, barriers and discourses about breast cancer screening in Spain among female immigrants from low-income countries and native Spanish women from a low socioeconomic class.DesignQualitative interview study with thematic analysis interpreted using cultural mediators.SettingMallorca, Spain.ParticipantsThirty-six in-depth interviews, using cultural mediators, of immigrant women living in Mallorca who were 50–69 years old and were from Maghreb, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, China or were native to Spain and from a low socioeconomic class.ResultsWe analysed the interviews to assess breast cancer perceptions and beliefs, discourses about breast cancer prevention and barriers to accessing breast cancer prevention programmes. Although the women reported an association of breast cancer with death, they acknowledged the effectiveness of early detection. They also exhibited reluctance to talk about cancer. Discourses about cancer prevention tended to be proactive or fatalistic, depending on the woman’s country of origin. For all women, fear of results and lack of time were barriers that limited participation in breast cancer prevention programmes. Language barriers, frequent changes of residence and fear due to status as an irregular (undocumented) immigrant were barriers specific to immigrant women.ConclusionsThe culture of origin affects whether an immigrant has a fatalistic or proactive approach toward breast cancer screening. Immigrants from low-income countries and Spanish natives from a low socioeconomic class experience barriers in access to breast cancer screening. Frequently changing homes is also a barrier for immigrant women.

Download Full-text

Do patient tracking, follow-up, and referral practices contribute to breast cancer disparities in a large urban area?

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.6120 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 6120-6120

Author(s):

Christine B. Weldon ◽

Julia R. Trosman ◽

Danielle Dupuy ◽

Betty Roggenkamp ◽

Julian C. Schink ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Black Women ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Breast Cancer Screening ◽

White Women ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Care Plan ◽

Patient Tracking ◽

Referral Practices

6120 Background: Chicago Black women are 62% more likely to die from breast (BC) cancer than White women. Previous data from 39 Chicago hospitals suggested significant quality deficits in breast cancer screening and treatment (Chicago Breast Cancer Quality Consortium, 2010). Patient tracking, follow up and referral practices may influence quality of care for minority women (Mojica et al, Cancer Control, 2007). Our goal is to evaluate tracking, follow up and referral practices during screening, diagnosis and treatment of BC at Chicago hospitals servicing Black women. Methods: Using the framework approach of qualitative research, we conducted interviews with providers of BC screening and care from 20 Chicago institutions with Black patients averaging 50% of patient base (15 community, 3 academic and 2 public hospitals). Informants included surgeons, medical oncologists, radiologists, mammography technicians, internists, nurses, administrators, and patient navigators. Interviews were transcribed, and thematic and statistical analyses were performed (simple frequencies and Fisher's exact test). Results: Six of the 20 sites (30%) follow up with patients who did not show for a scheduled mammography visit. Five of these sites (83%, 5/6) have a low “no-show” rate (below 20%), compared to 4 sites (29%, 4/14) with low “no-show” rates among the 14 sites without follow-up (p=0.05). Seven of the 20 sites (25%) direct diagnosed patients to their next step in care by providing referrals and guidance, while other 13 sites rely on a primary care physician or leave the patient without a clear care plan. BC patients at 6 of the 7 sites directing care (83%, 5/6) are referred to a mid- or high-volume surgeon (3+ BC surgeries / month), compared to patients from only 1 of the 13 sites not directing care (p=0.001). Nine of the 20 sites track diagnosed BC patients through their care. Five of them (56%, 5/9) also track survivors, compared to none (0%, 0/11) of the 11 sites who do not track patients (p=0.008). Conclusions: Poor tracking, follow up and referral practices for breast cancer screening and treatment are associated with suboptimal care and may contribute to outcome disparities for Black women in Chicago.

Download Full-text