title: Correlates of misperception of breast cancer risk among Korean-American Women.
abstract: In this study, the authors investigate the factors associated with misperception of breast cancer risk, including unrealistic optimism and unrealistic pessimism, among Korean-American women (KAW). Baseline data were collected between March 2010 and October 2011 from 421 KAW aged 40-65 years who participated in a community-based randomized intervention trial designed to promote breast and cervical cancer screening. Multivariate multinomial regression was performed to identify correlates of misperception of breast cancer risk among KAW. A total of 210 KAW (49.9%) had breast cancer risk perception consistent with their objective risk, whereas 50.1% of KAW in the study had some form of misperception of risk. Specifically, 167 participants (39.7%) were unrealistically optimistic about their own breast cancer risk; 44 (10.5%) were unrealistically pessimistic. In multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis, living with a partner and higher education were significantly associated with higher odds of having unrealistic optimism. High social support is associated with a lower likelihood of having a pessimistic risk perception. Higher worry is associated with a higher likelihood of having unrealistic pessimism. Misperception of breast cancer risk among KAW and related factors must be considered when developing behavioral interventions for this population.
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing , Gachon University , Incheon , Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: b School of Nursing , Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Bo Yun
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.affiliation: b School of Nursing , Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Hae-Ra
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D000067657:Pessimism; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Asian; behavior; breast cancer; mammography; psychosocial; uterine cancer