Family matters in mammography screening among African-American women age > 40.
OBJECTIVE
To examine how family history of cancer influences the mammography screening behaviors of asymptomatic African-American women.


METHODS
Using the National Health Interview Survey's 2000 Cancer Control Module, the authors performed bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regressions with SAS/SUDAAN due to the complex sampling design.


RESULTS
Of the 1,531 African-American women in the final sample, 38% had a family history of cancer. Women with a family history of cancer were 39% more likely to have a recent mammogram compared to women with no family history of cancer (OR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06-1.81; p < 0.05). Eighty-five percent of African-American women aged > 40 with a family history of cancer indicated having a mammogram in the past compared to nearly 70% of African-American women without a family history of cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Family history of any cancer independently and positively predicted mammography screening behaviors among asymptomatic African-American women. This suggests that African-American women with a history of cancer in their family are more likely (and perhaps more motivated) to engage in early cancer detection practices.
Williams
Karen Patricia
KP
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. karen.williams@ht.msu.edu
Sheppard
Vanessa B
VB
Todem
David
D
Mabiso
Athur
A
Wulu
John T
JT
Hines
Resche D
RD
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D003710:Demography; D005190:Family; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008403:Mass Screening; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States