Breast cancer risk reduction options: awareness, discussion, and use among women from four ethnic groups.
BACKGROUND
With recent advances in breast cancer risk reduction practices, it is increasingly important to assess both the breadth of and disparities in use across different racial/ethnic groups.


METHODS
We conducted telephone interviews with 1,700 women ages 40 to 74, from four racial/ethnic groups, without prior history of breast cancer, who received mammograms at one of five mammography facilities in San Francisco. Main outcomes measured included recognition of tamoxifen, raloxifene, genetic testing, and prophylactic surgery. Global indicators (recognition of any therapy, discussion of breast cancer risk) were developed from original outcome measures and analyzed using logistic regression.


RESULTS
Multivariate analyses indicate that race/ethnicity and interview language affected recognition of therapies and discussion of risk. White women were more likely than all other women to recognize any therapy and more likely than Asian-Americans to discuss risk. Women at high risk, who had a prior abnormal mammogram, who perceived themselves to be at high risk, or who were exposed to breast health information were more likely to discuss risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Women are aware of preventive therapies, although discussion and use is limited. Interventions to increase use of therapies should focus on those at high risk.
Kaplan
Celia Patricia
CP
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94143-0856, USA. Celia.Kaplan@ucsf.edu
Haas
Jennifer S
JS
Pérez-Stable
Eliseo J
EJ
Gregorich
Steven E
SE
Somkin
Carol
C
Des Jarlais
Genevieve
G
Kerlikowske
Karla
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044465:White People; D014930:Women
D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D013629:Tamoxifen; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride