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.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. karen.williams@ht.msu.edu
Karen Patricia
KP
Williams
Vanessa B
VB
Sheppard
David
D
Todem
Athur
A
Mabiso
John T
JT
Wulu
Resche D
RD
Hines
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