title: Cancer screening and risk factor rates among American Indians.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: MHS, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 504, Bethesda, MD 20892-8315. js60y@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burhansstipanov
authors.forename: Delight E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Satter
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McNeel
authors.forename: C Matthew
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Snipp
mesh_terms: 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