Cancer screening and risk factor rates among American Indians.
OBJECTIVE
We examined cancer screening and risk factor patterns in California using 4 different statistical tabulations of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations.


METHODS
We used the 2001 California Health Interview Survey to compare cancer screening and risk factor data across 4 different tabulation approaches. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates by gender and race/ethnicity for cancer screening and risk factors, sociodemographic characteristics, and access to care variables. We compared AIAN men and women with members of other racial groups and examined outcomes among AIAN men and women using the 4 tabulation methods.


RESULTS
Although some differences were small, in general, screening and risk factor rates among American Indians/Alaska Natives were most similar to rates among Whites when the most inclusive multiracial tabulation approach was used and least similar when the more exclusive US census "single-race" approach was used.


CONCLUSIONS
Racial misclassification and undercounting are among the most difficult obstacles to obtaining accurate and informative data on the AIAN population. Our analysis suggests some guidelines for overcoming these obstacles.
Swan
Judith
J
MHS, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 504, Bethesda, MD 20892-8315. js60y@nih.gov.
Breen
Nancy
N
Burhansstipanov
Linda
L
Satter
Delight E
DE
Davis
William W
WW
McNeel
Timothy
T
Snipp
C Matthew
CM
D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors