A pilot study of hereditary breast and ovarian knowledge among a multiethnic group of Hispanic women with a personal or family history of cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine knowledge about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) among Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban women.


METHODS
Women (age range, 18-65 years) with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer were recruited to a mixed methods study using community-based approaches. Fifty-three women participated in the study: 16 Mexicans, 20 Puerto Ricans, and 17 Cubans. The majority of women (64.2%) were born outside the United States. All questions were interviewer administered in Spanish or English. HBOC knowledge was measured using an 11-item instrument developed by the National Center for Human Genome Research. We evaluated whether differences in knowledge varied as a function of Hispanic subethnicity, demographic characteristics, and medical and acculturation characteristics using a series of one-way analysis of variances.


RESULTS
The percentage of correct responses on the knowledge instrument ranged from 9.4% to 73.6% (median number of correct responses = 45%). Knowledge did not significantly differ by Hispanic subethnicity (p = 0.51). Exploratory analysis revealed lower knowledge in women with a personal history of cancer (p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides important information about characteristics associated with lower levels of knowledge and specific areas related to HBOC where additional education may be warranted in the Hispanic community.
Vadaparampil
Susan T
ST
Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA. susan.vadaparampil@moffitt.org
Quinn
Gwendolyn P
GP
Small
Brent J
BJ
McIntyre
Jessica
J
Loi
Claudia Aguado
CA
Closser
Zuheily
Z
Gwede
Clement K
CK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003462:Cuba / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult