title: Assessing breast cancer knowledge, beliefs, and misconceptions among Latinas in Houston, Texas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited breast cancer knowledge and beliefs, risk factors, screening procedures, and cultural barriers may keep Latinas from seeking health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the breast cancer knowledge, beliefs, and misconceptions of 63 Latinas residing in Houston, Texas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than a third of participants held a negative or fatalistic view of breast cancer, 29% believed pain was a warning sign for the disease, and 11.1% had never heard of breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate this population holds many misconceptions about breast cancer, which may have a negative impact on preventive behaviors on this minority population.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Minority Health, Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: María R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hernández-Valero
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moguel
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.forename: Lovell A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology