Breast cancer knowledge and practices among D/deaf women.
BACKGROUND
Limited scientific evidence is available regarding D/deaf women's breast cancer knowledge and early detection practices, as well as about how to increase D/deaf women's breast cancer control practices.


OBJECTIVE
To assess baseline breast cancer knowledge and practices among a sample of D/deaf women recruited into a randomized controlled trial of a breast cancer education program developed for this population.


METHODS
A written and signed (American Sign Language) survey was administered to a racially/ethnically diverse sample of 209 D/deaf women, 40+ years old, with lower levels of education, recruited in California between October 2008 and May 2009.


RESULTS
There were misconceptions about breast cancer risk factors, screening, and treatment; only 64.2% of respondents correctly identified the purpose of mammography. Mammography in the prior 2 years was reported by 57.3% of the sample, by 69.8% of White women, and by 43.5% of women from other racial/ethnic groups. Rates also varied by education, having seen a physician in the prior year, and type of insurance.


CONCLUSIONS
This study underscores significant gaps in breast cancer screening knowledge and practices, communication issues in health care settings, and unmet needs for tailored health information and materials in this population. Challenges faced in conducting the research needed to develop and test such programs are noted.
Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Barbara A
BA
Berman
Angela
A
Jo
William G
WG
Cumberland
Heidi
H
Booth
Jon
J
Britt
Carolyn
C
Stern
Philip
P
Zazove
Gary
G
Kaufman
Georgia Robins
GR
Sadler
Roshan
R
Bastani
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002140:California; D003625:Data Collection; D003638:Deafness; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D044469:Racial Groups
Breast cancer knowledge; Breast cancer screening; Communication barriers; D/deaf women