Consistency in Attitudes Across Cancer Screenings in Medically Underserved Minority Populations

Abstract

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. Condensed abstract: In a multi-method study of attitudes towards cancer screening among medically underserved patients in a primary care setting, we found that attitudes (both positive and negative) were remarkably consistent across cancer screening types.

Barriers and Facilitators to Colorectal Cancer Screening in Vietnamese Americans: A Qualitative Analysis

“…The literature has shown the strong influence of social networks on Vietnamese patients’ decision to be screened for CRC [41, 36]. Our study is consistent with Walsh et al’s findings that those who knew someone with CRC were more likely to be screened [50].…”

“…Two prior qualitative studies, using focus groups and in-depth interviews, respectively, suggest that social networks may be more influential than physician recommendation [41, 21], as participants were unable to remember what they talked about with their physician. However, that was not found in our study.…”

“…Using focus groups for research studies has produced rich and complex data that would otherwise remain hidden through dynamic interactions among the focus group participants [2, 17, 39, 28]. Previous studies on AAPIs and CRC using focus groups have been used [50, 34, 41, 46] to inform subsequent research and interventions.…”

Breast self-examination beliefs and practices, ethnicity, and health literacy: Implications for health education to reduce disparities

“…We have previously reported that a positive attitude toward one type of cancer screening is associated with positive attitudes toward others as well. 36 …”

African American and Afro-Caribbean American Men’s Prostate Health Knowledge and Beliefs

“…Surveys have been conducted in the past to understand knowledge and attitudes regarding prostate cancer and screening among men from various ethnicities. Shaw, Vivian, Orzech, Torres, and Armin (2012) (Squiers et al, 2013). Factors that were positively correlated with having a PSA test done were higher income, having had a PSA in the past two years, identifying as Black, and being somewhat to very worried concerning risk for prostate cancer diagnosis.…”