Breast cancer screening behaviors among African American women with a strong family history of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Despite the importance of breast cancer screening to reduce morbidity and mortality, limited information is available on screening practices among African American women with a family history that is suggestive of hereditary breast cancer.


OBJECTIVE
To describe adherence to breast cancer screening recommendations among African American women with a family history that is suggestive of hereditary disease.


METHODS
Participants were unaffected African American women (n=65) who had a family history of cancer that was suggestive of hereditary breast cancer. Breast cancer screening practices were evaluated by self-report. The study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Women were recruited to participate in the study from February 2003-December 2005.


RESULTS
Most women were adherent to recommendations for mammography (75%) and CBE (93%). A sizeable minority of women (41%) also performed excessive BSE. Being older than age 50 was associated significantly with mammography adherence (FET<0.05). Employment had a significant independent association with BSE; unemployed women were most likely to perform excessive BSE (OR=3.28, 95% CI: 1.05, 10.21, p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest a complex pattern of breast cancer screening practices among African American women at increased risk for hereditary breast cancer.
Halbert
Chanita Hughes
CH
Department of Psychiatry and Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, Suite 4100, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. Chanita@mail.med.upenn.edu
Kessler
Lisa
L
Wileyto
E Paul
EP
Weathers
Benita
B
Stopfer
Jill
J
Domchek
Susan
S
Collier
Aliya
A
Brewster
Kiyona
K
D001741:Black or African American; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015143:Philadelphia