title: Receipt of diagnostic tests for breast cancer: validity of self-reports among low-income, mostly latina, indigent women.
abstract: Little is known about the validity of self-reported completion of diagnostic testing after an abnormal breast cancer screening test. This study assesses the validity of self-reported diagnostic follow-up among 819 low-income, mostly Latina, indigent women with a breast abnormality at two public hospitals in Los Angeles County. Survey responses on receipt of a mammogram, ultrasound, fine needle aspiration, surgical biopsy, or clinical breast exam for diagnostic evaluation of the breast abnormality were compared to medical record data. The authors calculated concordance, Cohen's κ statistic, and sensitivity and specificity. Kappa values indicated slight agreement for mammogram, ultrasound, and clinical breast exam, and moderate agreement for fine needle aspiration and surgical biopsy. Sensitivity of self-reports was high for all tests; specificity was poor for all tests except surgical biopsy. Self-reports of receipt of diagnostic testing for a breast abnormality among low-income, mostly Latina, indigent women are not accurate when compared to medical records.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute for Health Promotion Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78240, USA. Mojicac@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mojica
authors.forename: Roshan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bastani
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report