Randomized trial of a lay health advisor and computer intervention to increase mammography screening in African American women.

BACKGROUND: Low-income African American women face numerous barriers to mammography screening. We tested the efficacy of a combined interactive computer program and lay health advisor intervention to increase mammography screening. METHODS: In this randomized, single blind study, participants were 181 African American female health center patients of ages 41 to 75 years, at < or =250% of poverty level, with no breast cancer history, and with no screening mammogram in the past 15 months. They were assigned to either (a) a low-dose comparison group consisting of a culturally appropriate mammography screening pamphlet or (b) interactive, tailored computer instruction at baseline and four monthly lay health advisor counseling sessions. Self-reported screening data were collected at baseline and 6 months and verified by medical record. RESULTS: For intent-to-treat analysis of primary outcome (medical record-verified mammography screening, available on all but two participants), the intervention group had increased screening to 51% (45 of 89) compared with 18% (16 of 90) for the comparison group at 6 months. When adjusted for employment status, disability, first-degree relatives with breast cancer, health insurance, and previous breast biopsies, the intervention group was three times more likely (adjusted relative risk, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-3.7; P < 0.0001) to get screened than the low-dose comparison group. Similar results were found for self-reported mammography stage of screening adoption. CONCLUSIONS: The combined intervention was efficacious in improving mammography screening in low-income African American women, with an unadjusted effect size (relative risk, 2.84) significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that in previous studies of each intervention alone.

Cultural constructs, stage of change, and adherence to mammography among low-income African American women.

The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive relationships between cultural belief and stage of change and mammography adherence in low-income Midwestern African American urban women (N=321). Secondary analysis of questionnaire data measuring religiosity, racial pride, family collectivism, future and present time orientation, and stage of mammography screening adoption was conducted. Religiosity (OR=1.12; p=.002) and future time orientation (OR=1.12; p=.05) predicted mammography adherence with a positive association, while present time orientation (OR=0.91; p=.05) was significantly negatively associated. Religiosity (OR=1.11; p=.002) and future time orientation (OR=1.12; p=.05) were positive predictions of stage progression, whereas present time orientation (OR=0.90; p=.03) had a significant negative relationship. By identifying cultural variables that are related to mammography adherence in African American women, mammography-promoting interventions can be more effectively tailored.

"I've been through something": poetic explorations of African American women's cancer survivorship.

This article describes common experiences of African American women breast cancer survivors through poetic analysis. Group-as-a-whole theory and empirical and interpretive phenomenology guided analysis of transcripts from three focus groups (n = 21) of African American breast cancer survivors. Familiarity with transcripts and themes led to awareness of poetic ways in which African American women described experiences. Black feminist literature and African American historical references contextualized survivors' experiences. Poetic interpretations of African American women's breast cancer experiences, from diagnosis to survivorship, were created from transcript dialogues. Verbatim words were used to construct the poems, as often as possible. Eleven poems describe the journey from diagnosis to survivorship as experienced by African American women. The poetry may raise levels of awareness of African American women's breast cancer survivorship experiences. Attention to subtleties that underpin culture within the context of health care environments may help health care providers to improve cultural competence.

Psychosocial factors related to repeat mammography screening over 5 years in African American women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate health beliefs associated with repeat mammography screening in African American women 51 years or older over a 5-year period. Long-term repeat mammography screening is inconsistent in African American women; therefore, this study measured demographic, knowledge, and health belief predictors of repeat screening. The theoretical framework for this study was the health belief model. Baseline data from a larger randomized controlled trial were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The sample consisted of 602 African American women with no breast cancer history and at least 1 reported screening mammogram in the past 5 years. They were recruited from 3 primary care health settings. Having been screened 4 to 5 times in the past 5 years was associated with more knowledge about screening guidelines and fewer perceived barriers to screening. Results point to the importance of collaborating with African American communities to promote life-long mammography screening by increasing access to culturally appropriate information on screening guidelines and ameliorating barriers to screening within the context of the African American experience.

Sociocultural context of mammography screening use.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine variations in cultural and health beliefs about mammography screening among a socioeconomically diverse sample of African American and Caucasian women and to identify which set of beliefs predicted mammography screening adherence. DESIGN: Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community-based organizations and public housing. SAMPLE: 111 African American women and 64 Caucasian women, aged 40 years or older, with no history of breast cancer. METHODS: Telephone and in-person structured interviews were conducted. Items used previously validated scales based on the Cultural Assessment Model for Health and the Health Belief Model. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Race or ethnicity, education, income, personal space, health temporal orientation, personal control, fatalism, susceptibility, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and mammography screening adherence. FINDINGS: African American women were more fatalistic about breast cancer and perceived fewer benefits to screening. Mammography screening-adherent women were more future oriented, believed that they had less control over finding health problems early, had fewer barriers to screening, and experienced more physical spatial discomfort during the screening procedure than nonadherent women. CONCLUSIONS: Several of the cultural beliefs were not significantly different by race or ethnicity. However, cultural and health beliefs were significant predictors of mammography screening. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Theoretically based cultural beliefs are important to consider for behavioral interventions to increase mammography screening in African American and Caucasian women.

Development of cultural belief scales for mammography screening.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To develop instruments to measure culturally related variables that may influence mammography screening behaviors in African American women. DESIGN: Instrumentation methodology. SETTING: Community organizations and public housing in the Indianapolis, IN, area. SAMPLE: 111 African American women with a mean age of 60.2 years and 64 Caucasian women with a mean age of 60 years. METHODS: After item development, scales were administered. Data were analyzed by factor analysis, item analysis via internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha, and independent t tests and logistic regression analysis to test theoretical relationships. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Personal space preferences, health temporal orientation, and perceived personal control. FINDINGS: Space items were factored into interpersonal and physical scales. Temporal orientation items were loaded on one factor, creating a one-dimensional scale. Control items were factored into internal and external control scales. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the scales ranged from 0.76-0.88. Interpersonal space preference, health temporal orientation, and perceived internal control scales each were predictive of mammography screening adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The three tested scales were reliable and valid. Scales, on average, did not differ between African American and Caucasian populations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: These scales may be useful in future investigations aimed at increasing mammography screening in African American and Caucasian women.