Breast and cervical cancer screening for Puerto Ricans, African Americans, and non-Hispanic whites attending inner-city family practice centers.
OBJECTIVE
Disparities exist for breast and cervical cancer screening among racial/ ethnic groups and low-income women. This study determines racial/ethnic variation in: 1) staging readiness for mammography, Pap smears, and clinical breast exam (CBE); 2) identifying patterns of adherence; and 3) determining sociodemographics associated with compliance with all three exams.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Two urban family medicine clinics.


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 343 women presenting for care.


METHODS
Women were staged (maintainers, actors, contemplators, precontemplators, relapse contemplators, and relapse precontemplators) according to self-reported receipt of mammography, CBEs, and Pap smears.


METHODS
Adherence across exams was assessed. Sociodemographics were compared among racial/ethnic groups for women adherent with all three exams.


RESULTS
Sixty-one percent were adherent with mammography, 93% with Pap smears, and 67% with CBEs. Thirty percent were contemplating mammography. Fifty-eight percent of Puerto Rican women were adherent with CBEs compared to 68.6% of African American and 78.5% of non-Hispanic White women. Puerto Rican women were less likely to be maintainers of CBE and more likely to be precontemplators and relapsers than non-Hispanic White women (P=.004). Forty-eight percent were adherent with all three exams. Puerto Rican women compliant with all three screens were younger and less educated than African American and non-Hispanic White


CONCLUSIONS
Racial/ethnic differences in screening patterns exist among women attending urban family practice centers. Primary care providers must be culturally sensitive when recommending screening and can use staging as a tool to target women most receptive to intervention.
Finney
Maureen F
MF
Physician Assistant Department, D'Youville College, 320 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201, USA. finneym@dyc.edu
Tumiel-Berhalter
Laurene M
LM
Fox
Chester
C
Jaén
Carlos Roberto
CR
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*