The Association Between Fatalism and Mammography Use in Korean American Immigrant Women

Fatalism is reported as a salient cultural belief that influences cancer screening disparities in racial and ethnic minority groups. Previous studies provide a range of measures and descriptions of cancer fatalism, but no studies to our knowledge have analyzed how fatalistic views cluster together within subgroups to form distinct profiles, and how these profiles can be predicted. This study identified subgroups of Korean American immigrants with similar fatalistic beliefs toward cancer and examined the influence of fatalism, health belief variables, and health literacy on mammography use. A cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain a convenience sample of 240 Korean American immigrant women in Los Angeles, California. Latent class analysis was used to identify unobserved subgroups of fatalism. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to identify predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with recent mammography use. The latent class analysis model identified three cancer fatalism subgroups: high fatalism (17.8%), moderate fatalism (36.7%), and low fatalism (45.5%). Women in the high fatalism subgroup were more likely to have had a mammogram within the past 2 years than women in the low fatalism subgroup. Regression analysis revealed three facilitators of recent mammogram use: level of fatalism, perceived barriers to mammogram, and family history of cancer. Although cultural beliefs can have a powerful influence on health-seeking behavior, it is important to weigh individual and contextual factors that may weaken or mediate the relationship between fatalism and engaging in preventive care such as having a mammogram.

Examining the Relationship Between Breast Cancer Fatalism and Fear in Women

Aim: This research was carried out to examine the relationship between breast cancer fatalism and fear in women. Methods: This research, which is planned as a descriptive and relationship seeker type, was conducted between March and May 2020 with women living in Iğdır. Results: According to the findings obtained from the study, it was found that the total mean score of breast cancer fate of individuals was 4.42 ± 2.58, and the average total score of fear of breast cancer was 23.67 ± 7.03. A statistically significant relationship was found between the total mean score of breast cancer fatality, total point average of fear of breast cancer, and age (p <0.05). Conclusion: Women's breast cancer fatality and fear of breast cancer were found at a medium level. It is recommended that the study be carried out in larger groups.

Beliefs and Information Seeking in Patients With Cancer in Southwest China: Survey Study

Background Although previous studies have reported the cancer information-seeking behaviors among patients in high-income countries, the cancer information-seeking practices of patients living in low- and middle-income areas are less known. Objective This study investigated the beliefs and information-seeking patterns of cancer patients in southwest China. Methods A questionnaire was designed, and data were collected in two hospitals (N=285) in southwest China. Statistical analyses included bivariate analyses and regressions. Results Patients’ attitudes towards cancer fatalism were significantly influenced by marital status (P<.001), education (P<.001), and household income (P<.001). Moreover, endorsing fatalistic belief was positively associated with age (r=0.35, P<.001). The regression model showed that younger patients (odds ratio [OR] 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99) and those with higher education (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.09-2.81) were more likely to seek information. Additionally, patients who were less confident in getting information were more likely to find information (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.15-2.52), while fatalism belief was not significant in the regression (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.22-1.95). Conclusions This study explored the information-seeking patterns of cancer patients in southwest China. It was found that many Chinese people endorsed cancer fatalism. These pessimistic beliefs about the potential to prevent and to cure cancer correlate with rather than cause cancer-related information seeking. However, self-efficacy about the confidence in finding needed cancer information was a significant predictor of information-seeking.