Reproductive and hormonal risk profile according to language acculturation and country of residence in the Ella Binational Breast Cancer Study.
BACKGROUND
We compared the distribution of breast cancer reproductive and hormonal risk factors by level of acculturation and country of residence in women of Mexican descent.


METHODS
To compare the distribution of breast cancer reproductive and hormonal risk factors by level of acculturation and country of residence in women of Mexican descent, taking into account level of education, we analyzed data on 581 Mexican and 620 Mexican American (MA) women with a history of invasive breast cancer from the Ella Binational Breast Cancer Study. An eight-item language-based acculturation measure was used to classify MA women. Multivariate logistic regression was used to test associations between language acculturation, country of residence, and reproductive and hormonal risk factors.


RESULTS
After adjustment for age and education, compared to women residing in Mexico, English-dominant MAs were significantly more likely to have an earlier age at menarche (<12 years; odds ratio [OR]=2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-3.34), less likely to have a late age at first birth (≥30 years; OR=0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.97), and less likely to ever breastfeed (OR=0.13; 95% CI, 0.08-0.21).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in reproductive and hormonal risk profile according to language acculturation and country of residence are evident; some of these were explained by education. Results support continued efforts to educate Mexican and MA women on screening and early detection of breast cancer along with promotion of modifiable factors, such as breastfeeding.
1 Moores University of California San Diego Cancer Center, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, California.
Jesse N
JN
Nodora
Linda
L
Gallo
Renee
R
Cooper
Betsy C
BC
Wertheim
Loki
L
Natarajan
Patricia A
PA
Thompson
Ian K
IK
Komenaka
Abenaa
A
Brewster
Melissa
M
Bondy
Adrian
A
Daneri-Navarro
María Mercedes
MM
Meza-Montenegro
Luis Enrique
LE
Gutierrez-Millan
María Elena
ME
Martínez
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007802:Language; D016015:Logistic Models; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017584:Reproductive History; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology