A breast cancer education and on-site screening intervention for unscreened African American women.
BACKGROUND
This study tested a breast cancer education intervention for African American women with poor screening histories. Disparities in rates of later-stage disease and death may be related to lower screening rates due to behavioral (e.g., knowledge gap) and structural (e.g., access) barriers.


METHODS
94 African American women (low-income, poor screening histories) were randomly assigned for an educational and on-site screening intervention, or non-intervention status. Primary care sites were used for educational purposes. Three-month post-intervention mammography was assessed.


RESULTS
The intervention group had significantly higher screening rates than the non-intervention group. The latter had a knowledge gap, poor screening history, cancer fears, and insurance differences relative to the screened women. Screening was predicted by behavioral, rather than structural factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Since low-income African American women face behavioral and structural barriers to breast cancer screening, an educational program that improves knowledge levels and is offered in primary care sites can effectively impact screening.
Young
Rosalie F
RF
Department of Community Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. ryoung@med.wayne.edu
Waller
John B
JB
Smitherman
Herbert
H
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires