Sociocultural context of mammography screening use.
OBJECTIVE
To examine variations in cultural and health beliefs about mammography screening among a socioeconomically diverse sample of African American and Caucasian women and to identify which set of beliefs predicted mammography screening adherence.


METHODS
Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Community-based organizations and public housing.


METHODS
111 African American women and 64 Caucasian women, aged 40 years or older, with no history of breast cancer.


METHODS
Telephone and in-person structured interviews were conducted. Items used previously validated scales based on the Cultural Assessment Model for Health and the Health Belief Model.


METHODS
Race or ethnicity, education, income, personal space, health temporal orientation, personal control, fatalism, susceptibility, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and mammography screening adherence.


RESULTS
African American women were more fatalistic about breast cancer and perceived fewer benefits to screening. Mammography screening-adherent women were more future oriented, believed that they had less control over finding health problems early, had fewer barriers to screening, and experienced more physical spatial discomfort during the screening procedure than nonadherent women.


CONCLUSIONS
Several of the cultural beliefs were not significantly different by race or ethnicity. However, cultural and health beliefs were significant predictors of mammography screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Theoretically based cultural beliefs are important to consider for behavioral interventions to increase mammography screening in African American and Caucasian women.
School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA. katrusse@iupui.edu
Kathleen M
KM
Russell
Susan M
SM
Perkins
Terrell W
TW
Zollinger
Victoria L
VL
Champion
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People