title: Breast and cervical cancer screening and health beliefs among African American women attending educational programs.
abstract: This article assessed the relationship between breast and cervical cancer screening rates and health beliefs in African American women participating in Witness Project of Harlem (WPH) education sessions. WPH is a culturally sensitive, faith-based breast and cervical cancer screening education program targeting African American women in medically underserved New York City communities. A questionnaire administered to women participating for the first time in a Witness Project education session collected demographics, adherence to breast and cervical cancer screening, and information about health beliefs related to cancer worry, medical mistrust, and religious faith. Screening adherence guidelines applied were as per the American Cancer Society recommendations. No statistically significant relationship was found between worry about getting breast or cervical cancer and screening adherence, or between screening adherence and agreement with statements about medical mistrust and religious beliefs. The low screening mammography and monthly breast self-exam rates emphasize the utility of programs like WPH that teach the importance of screening mammography and breast self-exam and point to the need for increased access to quality health care and cancer screening in underserved populations.
authors: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Ochoa-Frongia
authors: Hayley S
authors: HS
authors: Thompson
authors: Yulinda
authors: Y
authors: Lewis-Kelly
authors: Terri
authors: T
authors: Deans-McFarlane
authors: Lina
authors: L
authors: Jandorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003625:Data Collection; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012067:Religion; D035502:Trust; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*