Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 1997 Jun;89(6):405–411.

Knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and cancer screening among inner-city African-American women.

J F Sung 1, D S Blumenthal 1, R J Coates 1, E Alema-Mensah 1
PMCID: PMC2608155  PMID: 9195801

Abstract

Three hundred twenty-one inner-city African-American women were interviewed to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding cancer and cancer screening, and their cancer screening histories. The women were recruited from a variety of sources in Atlanta and were interviewed in their homes by trained lay health workers. Half of the subjects had an annual household income of < $15,000. About half had received a Pap smear and clinical breast examination within the year preceding the interviews. For women > 35 years old, 35% had received a mammogram within the recommended interval. Younger women and women with higher incomes were more likely than older women and those with lower incomes to have received a Pap test and clinical breast examination within the preceding year, but income was not significantly associated with mammography histories. In general, women who were more knowledgeable about cancer and its prevention were more likely to have been appropriately screened. However, various attitudes and beliefs regarding cancer generally were not associated with screening histories. We conclude that cancer screening programs for inner-city minority women should focus on improving knowledge levels among older women rather than attempting to alter attitudes and beliefs.

Full text

PDF
410

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anda R. F., Sienko D. G., Remington P. L., Gentry E. M., Marks J. S. Screening mammography for women 50 years of age and older: practices and trends, 1987. Am J Prev Med. 1990 May-Jun;6(3):123–129. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bostick R. M., Sprafka J. M., Virnig B. A., Potter J. D. Knowledge, attitudes, and personal practices regarding prevention and early detection of cancer. Prev Med. 1993 Jan;22(1):65–85. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1993.1005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Breen N., Kessler L. Changes in the use of screening mammography: evidence from the 1987 and 1990 National Health Interview Surveys. Am J Public Health. 1994 Jan;84(1):62–67. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.1.62. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Calle E. E., Flanders W. D., Thun M. J., Martin L. M. Demographic predictors of mammography and Pap smear screening in US women. Am J Public Health. 1993 Jan;83(1):53–60. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Provisional estimates from the National Health Interview Survey Supplement on Cancer Control--United States, January-March 1987. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1988 Jul 15;37(27):417-20, 425. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Costanza M. E. The extent of breast cancer screening in older women. Cancer. 1994 Oct 1;74(7 Suppl):2046–2050. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19941001)74:7+<2046::aid-cncr2820741710>3.0.co;2-u. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Evans A. M., Love R. R., Meyerowitz B. E., Leventhal H., Nerenz D. R. Factors associated with active participation in a Cancer Prevention Clinic. Prev Med. 1985 May;14(3):358–371. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(85)90062-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Freeman H. P. Cancer in the socioeconomically disadvantaged. CA Cancer J Clin. 1989 Sep-Oct;39(5):266–288. doi: 10.3322/canjclin.39.5.266. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Glockner S. M., Holden M. G., Hilton S. V., Norcross W. A. Women's attitudes toward screening mammography. Am J Prev Med. 1992 Mar-Apr;8(2):69–77. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Harris R. Breast cancer among women in their forties: toward a reasonable research agenda. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1994 Mar 16;86(6):410–412. doi: 10.1093/jnci/86.6.410. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kopans D. B. Efficacy of screening mammography for women in their forties. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1994 Nov 16;86(22):1721–1725. doi: 10.1093/jnci/86.22.1721. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kruse J., Phillips D. M. Factors influencing women's decision to undergo mammography. Obstet Gynecol. 1987 Nov;70(5):744–748. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kuhns-Hastings J., Brakey M. R., Marshall I. A. Effectiveness of a comprehensive breast cancer-screening class for women residing in rural areas. Appl Nurs Res. 1993 May;6(2):71–79. doi: 10.1016/s0897-1897(05)80105-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Maclean U., Sinfield D., Klein S., Harnden B. Women who decline breast screening. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1984 Dec;38(4):278–283. doi: 10.1136/jech.38.4.278. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mamon J. A., Shediac M. C., Crosby C. B., Sanders B., Matanoski G. M., Celentano D. D. Inner-city women at risk for cervical cancer: behavioral and utilization factors related to inadequate screening. Prev Med. 1990 Jul;19(4):363–376. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(90)90036-j. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mandelblatt J., Traxler M., Lakin P., Kanetsky P., Kao R. Mammography and Papanicolaou smear use by elderly poor black women. The Harlem Study Team. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1992 Oct;40(10):1001–1007. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb04476.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mandelblatt J., Traxler M., Lakin P., Kanetsky P., Kao R. Targeting breast and cervical cancer screening to elderly poor black women: who will participate? The Harlem Study Team. Prev Med. 1993 Jan;22(1):20–33. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1993.1002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mandelblatt J., Traxler M., Lakin P., Kanetsky P., Thomas L., Chauhan P., Matseoane S., Ramsey E. Breast and cervical cancer screening of poor, elderly, black women: clinical results and implications. Harlem Study Team. Am J Prev Med. 1993 May-Jun;9(3):133–138. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McCance K. L., Mooney K. H., Smith K. R., Field R. Validity and reliability of a breast cancer knowledge test. Am J Prev Med. 1990 Mar-Apr;6(2):93–98. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Peters R. K., Bear M. B., Thomas D. Barriers to screening for cancer of the cervix. Prev Med. 1989 Jan;18(1):133–146. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(89)90059-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Reeder S., Berkanovic E., Marcus A. C. Breast cancer detection behavior among urban women. Public Health Rep. 1980 May-Jun;95(3):276–281. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Rimer B. K., Trock B., Engstrom P. F., Lerman C., King E. Why do some women get regular mammograms? Am J Prev Med. 1991 Mar-Apr;7(2):69–74. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Shapiro S. The call for change in breast cancer screening guidelines. Am J Public Health. 1994 Jan;84(1):10–11. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.1.10. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sung J. F., Coates R. J., Williams J. E., Liff J. M., Greenberg R. S., McGrady G. A., Avery B. Y., Blumenthal D. S. Cancer screening intervention among black women in inner-city Atlanta--design of a study. Public Health Rep. 1992 Jul-Aug;107(4):381–388. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Urban N., Anderson G. L., Peacock S. Mammography screening: how important is cost as a barrier to use? Am J Public Health. 1994 Jan;84(1):50–55. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.1.50. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Urban N., Anderson G. L., Peacock S. Mammography screening: how important is cost as a barrier to use? Am J Public Health. 1994 Jan;84(1):50–55. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.1.50. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Vogel V. G. Screening younger women at risk for breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1994;(16):55–60. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Whitman S., Ansell D., Lacey L., Chen E. H., Ebie N., Dell J., Phillips C. W. Patterns of breast and cervical cancer screening at three public health centers in an inner-city urban area. Am J Public Health. 1991 Dec;81(12):1651–1653. doi: 10.2105/ajph.81.12.1651. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES