Timely follow-up among multicultural women with abnormal mammograms.
OBJECTIVE
To examine factors influencing time from screening to final diagnosis among multicultural women with abnormal mammograms using the precede-proceed model.


METHODS
Staff of 58 clinics and a sample of 436 women served by these clinics were interviewed and their medical records examined.


RESULTS
Longer duration from screening to diagnosis was associated with speaking Spanish and having clinic staff make appointments. Ease of access to health care, provision of early morning screening services and higher levels of patient anxiety shortened the time to diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The precede-proceed model is useful in delineating personal and structural factors that affect timely diagnosis.
Arnsberger
Pamela
P
School of Social Work, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96814, USA. arnsburg@hawaii.edu
Fox
Patrick
P
Ryder
Priscilla
P
Nussey
Brenda
B
Zhang
Xiulan
X
Otero-Sabogal
Regina
R
D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D044383:Black People; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D002140:California; D015984:Causality; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D001741:Black or African American