Spiritual health locus of control and breast cancer beliefs among urban African American women.
The present study examined the relationship between spiritual health locus of control, breast cancer beliefs, and mammography utilization among a sample of 1,227 African American women from urban public health centers. Spiritual health locus of control was conceptualized as having an active and passive dimension, empowering individuals in their health beliefs and behaviors or rendering them to rely on a higher power (e.g., God) to determine their health outcomes, respectively. The active dimension was negatively associated with perceived benefits of mammography and positively associated with perceived barriers to mammography. The active and passive spiritual dimensions are distinct from internal and external health locus of control. Further study of their associations with other health-related beliefs and behaviors is warranted.
Holt
Cheryl L
CL
Health Communication Research Laboratory, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, Missouri 63104, USA. holtcl@slu.edu
Clark
Eddie M
EM
Kreuter
Matthew W
MW
Rubio
Doris M
DM
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014505:Urban Population