Cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among culturally Deaf adults: implications for informed decision making.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies show that Deaf persons tend to have lower health status, lack health knowledge, have differing health attitudes, and decreased health care utilization when compared to the general population. The authors sought to examine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding age- and gender-specific cancer screening tests amongst a sample of Deaf adults who were patients of Deaf-friendly medical organizations. The authors also sought to compare age- and gender-specific cancer screening rates amongst this sample to that of the general US population.


METHODS
A sample of 203 adult Deaf patients participated in a comprehensive, face-to-face health survey conducted between November 2002 and March 2003. The survey was administered in American Sign Language by Deaf interviewers and included age- and gender-specific cancer knowledge, attitude, and behavior questions.


RESULTS
Knowledge pertaining to Pap smear among females was low, while the proportion having ever had a Pap smear was comparable to the general population. Mammography knowledge amongst females age 50 and older was comparatively higher, although it remained lower than the proportion of females in this age group who reported ever receiving a mammogram. Overall, screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer were similar to rates in the general US population. Attitudes toward specific cancer screening tests were also favorable.


CONCLUSIONS
Persons within the Deaf community can have cancer screening rates similar to those of the general US population. However, utilization in the absence of knowledge regarding these tests is worrisome and brings about ethical, health care quality and health education concerns.
Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health System, California Avenue at 15th Street, Room F926, Chicago, IL 60608, United States. orsje@sinai.org
Jennifer M
JM
Orsi
Helen
H
Margellos-Anast
Toby S
TS
Perlman
Barbara E
BE
Giloth
Steven
S
Whitman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities