Asian/Pacific Islander American women: age and death rates during hospitalization for breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether differences in age and death rates exist between hospitalized Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) women and women of other racial groups.


METHODS
Secondary data analysis of a national data set.


METHODS
The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Release 6, was used to obtain hospitalization data on women with breast cancer based on racial status. A total of 20,507 hospitalization records met the study criteria.


METHODS
All women who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer, were older than 18, and did not die during hospitalization, plus all women who met the criteria stated above but died during hospitalization.


METHODS
Secondary data analysis. Post hoc analysis was used to identify significant differences among racial groups.


RESULTS
Significant differences were found between APIA and Caucasian and Latino women. Significant differences based on race were found between subjects who had died during hospitalization. On average, APIA women were the youngest to die.


CONCLUSIONS
APIA women with breast cancer were among the youngest women being hospitalized and the youngest to die during hospitalization.


CONCLUSIONS
Cultural awareness by nurses is critical when discussing methods for prevention and early detection of breast cancer with minority women. Targeting new immigrants is a priority for those who screen and educate women about detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Polek
Carolee
C
College of Health and Nursing Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. cpolek@udel.edu
Klemm
Paula
P
Hardie
Thomas
T
Wheeler
Erlinda
E
Birney
Margaret
M
Lynch
Kevin
K
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D003467:Cultural Deprivation; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data