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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2003 Jul 1;94(4):275–280. doi: 10.1007/BF03403605

Screening Mammography Among Chinese Canadian Women

Sara L Jackson 110,✉, T Greg Hislop 210, Chong Teh 210, Yutaka Yasui 310, Shin-Ping Tu 310, Alan Kuniyuki 310, J Carey Jackson 110, Vicky M Taylor 310,410
PMCID: PMC6979643  PMID: 12873086

Abstract

Background

Though breast cancer is the most common malignancy among Chinese women, screening mammography is underutilized. This study examined barriers and facilitators of screening mammography among Chinese Canadian women.

Methods

Using community-based sampling, Chinese women in British Columbia were interviewed in 1999 about multiple preventive health behaviours. We included 213 women in the mammography analysis; main outcome measures were ever having a mammogram and routine mammography.

Results

Seventy-five percent of women 50 to 79 years old reported ever having had a mammogram, and 53% had two or more mammograms within the last five years. Receiving a recommendation for a mammogram from medical personnel or from a family member, and believing that cancer cannot be prevented by faith were independently associated with both screening outcomes.

Conclusions

A multifaceted approach to screening mammography promotion in Chinese Canadian women is suggested. Interventions that include education of and by medical providers and family members should be considered.

Footnotes

Acknowledgements: Funded, in part, by grant CA74326 and cooperative agreement CA86322 from the National Cancer Institute of the United States. We thank the women who participated in these interviews; the interviewers: C. Chan, I. Chan, L. Hsu, A. Ko, S. Leung, M. Li, J. Ng, E. Ng, C. Pang, G. Troung; the community advisory coalition: I. Chan and L. Lai (Canadian Cancer Society), Dr. J. Ko (Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society), G. Mumick (Vancouver-Richmond Health Board), S. Leung (SUCCESS), Dr. L. Sent (Asian Women’s Health Clinic), Dr. C. Wang (Chinese Canadian Medical Society), and Dr. M. Yu (Chinese Cultural Centre)

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