title: Assessing the Key Attributes of Low Utilization of Mammography Screening and Breast-self Exam among African-American Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  African-American (AA) women living in four Black Belt Counties (BBC) of Alabama; consisting of Barbour, Macon, Green and Wilcox are known to have lower mammogram utilization and breast self-exam rates when compared to their white female counterparts. The influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on these disparities has not been clearly defined so far. Our study was designed to determine whether these observed disparities can be predicted with the socioeconomic and other demographic attributes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health Disparity Questionnaires data (n = 516) for BBC of Alabama was analyzed using a logistic regression model to examine the association of breast cancer screening rates and breast self-exam with income, the level of education, family doctor, type of health insurance, obesity, and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Income, education, family doctor, age and health insurance were independent predictors for the low utilization rate of mammography and breast self-exam (BSE).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improving socioeconomic conditions such as level of education and availability of health care are essential to increase the rates of breast cancer screening test and breast self-exam in the BBC of Alabama.
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Rupak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Nganwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Asseged
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogale
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Shami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nandy
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Habtemariam
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Berhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tameru
keywords: African-American (AA) women; breast cancer screening