Consistency in attitudes across cancer screenings in medically underserved minority populations

TY - JOUR

T1 - Consistency in attitudes across cancer screenings in medically underserved minority populations

AU - Shaw, Susan J.

AU - Vivian, James

AU - Orzech, Kathryn M.

AU - Huebner Torres, Cristina

AU - Armin, Julie

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - While a wide range of behavioral and psychosocial literature explores attitudes and beliefs towards cancer screenings, fewer studies examine attitudes across cancer screening types. We draw on quantitative and qualitative findings from a 4-year prospective study based at a community health center serving diverse, low-income patients. Methods included self-report surveys (n = 297), medical chart abstraction, and several qualitative methods with a subsample of participants. Participants included white, African-American, Vietnamese, and Latino patients who were diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, or both. Patients' attitudes (both positive and negative) towards cancer screening types were remarkably consistent across cancer screening types. These effects were stronger among men than women. Never having had a cancer screening was generally associated with more unfavorable attitudes towards all screenings. Qualitative interviews indicate the importance of information circulated through social networks in shaping attitudes towards cancer screenings.

AB - While a wide range of behavioral and psychosocial literature explores attitudes and beliefs towards cancer screenings, fewer studies examine attitudes across cancer screening types. We draw on quantitative and qualitative findings from a 4-year prospective study based at a community health center serving diverse, low-income patients. Methods included self-report surveys (n = 297), medical chart abstraction, and several qualitative methods with a subsample of participants. Participants included white, African-American, Vietnamese, and Latino patients who were diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, or both. Patients' attitudes (both positive and negative) towards cancer screening types were remarkably consistent across cancer screening types. These effects were stronger among men than women. Never having had a cancer screening was generally associated with more unfavorable attitudes towards all screenings. Qualitative interviews indicate the importance of information circulated through social networks in shaping attitudes towards cancer screenings.

KW - Attitude to Health

KW - Female

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Health Services Accessibility

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Mass Screening

KW - Minority Groups

KW - Neoplasms

KW - Qualitative Research

KW - Social Perception

KW - United States

U2 - 10.1007/s13187-011-0285-0

DO - 10.1007/s13187-011-0285-0

M3 - Article

C2 - 22105657

SN - 0885-8195

VL - 27

SP - 165

EP - 171

JO - Journal of Cancer Education

JF - Journal of Cancer Education

IS - 1

ER -