title: African-American caregivers' breast health behavior.
abstract: This study utilizes a stress and coping framework which includes cognitive appraisal, personal and environmental resources, coping and stress to examine factors related to African-American caregivers' breast cancer screenings, including mammograms, clinical examinations and self-examinations. Using data from the Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health and Functioning Study, we performed separate logistic regressions for each type of breast cancer screening. Results reveal that having a regular doctor checkup (coping), care recipients having a cancer diagnosis (cognitive appraisal, and living in urban areas (environment resources) are associated with receiving a mammogram. Having greater income, having at least a high school degree (both personal resources) and having a regular doctor checkup (coping) are associated with receiving a clinical examination. Increased caregiver strain (stress), being 40 years old or older, social support (coping) and living in rural areas are associated with performing a self-examination. Targeting African-American caregivers, particularly in rural areas, for increased education on the importance of receiving breast cancer screenings is crucial to addressing health disparities. Making resources available, encouraging caregivers to get a clinical examination and a mammogram and directing public education toward caregivers are important points of intervention.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Social Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. inouem@mail.bc.edu
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Welch-Saleeby
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017028:Caregivers; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data