Table 3.

Illustrative Theme Quotations

Interview Theme	Quote
Most women used preventive care regularly or obtained curative care when needed. System factors like ease of getting appointments, ability to see desired providers, positive relationships and satisfaction with providers, and affordable insurance or costs facilitated women’s use of preventive care.	• I really want to see the same person. You don’t want to have to go back, explain, [or think], “Are they reading your chart good?” I want somebody that’s compassionate. I kind of don’t like a man doctor because I feel like they don’t understand. Your first time, you can figure out, “Is he going to work, or is this doctor not going to work?” If he’s not going to work, I don’t want to be wasting any time. (Participant 17, age 51) • Thank God – right now, I don’t have a problem with the insurance that I have right now, which is County Care. I don’t have a copay. Usually, they cover 100 percent, and whatever it is that they don’t pay for, I usually don’t get. (Participant 5, age 60)
Women had few barriers to accessing preventive care; however, many had past or current challenges associated with health insurance, healthcare costs, and discomfort or dissatisfaction with providers.	• I just turned 40, so this is the year that I have to go and get the mammogram, and I’m scared, actually. I haven’t even scheduled it, but I’m gonna go because my hospital is [Hospital name], and you can schedule an appointment the same day. But I’m just scared because everybody keeps telling me how it is, and I’m just scared. (Participant 19, age 40). • I think I really didn’t understand the barriers of trying to have insurance and maintain insurance until I got older. I have some medications. Thankfully, I’m working. So you get certain discounts when you’re working. But still, I have a really high deductible. I think it’s $2,500 a year. I don’t have $2,500. The field I work in, they don’t pay a lot. So I owe the hospital, actually. I did find a pharmacy though, for getting my prescriptions, that’s cheaper. But when I didn’t have insurance, I really became aware of how that impacts a person’s being healthy. I couldn’t get my medication. So I’m asking people, like my friends, do they have these medications: “You got any such and such?” That was crazy. (Participant 12, age 62)
Women were moderately confident in their knowledge about chronic conditions, screenings, and immunizations recommended for their gender and age; however, there was confusion regarding recommendation timeframes and several misperceptions regarding influenza vaccinations, which resulted in avoidance for some women.	• You know what? I got a flu shot years ago, and I got pneumonia. And I was like, “I ain’t taking that no more.” (Participant 7, age 51) • You see all the information, they’re talking about it on TV, they have different symposiums and conferences – but it’s like, “Oh, I ain’t gotta worry about that. Ain’t nobody in my family got no breast cancer, that ain’t gonna happen to me.” It’s not really taken seriously that you need to go get your mammograms. (Participant 8, age 50).