Women's Health Issues
Volume 20, Issue 2 , Pages 139-145, March 2010

Breast Cancer Screening Practices and Correlates Among American Indian and Alaska Native Women in California, 2003

  • Jan M. Eberth, MSPH

      Affiliations

    • Division of Epidemiology and Disease Control, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, Texas
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Jan M. Eberth, MSPH, NCI Predoctoral Fellow, Division of Epidemiology and Disease Control, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2510I, Houston, TX 77098. Phone: 713-500-9770; fax: 713-500-9750.
    • ,
  • John Charles Huber Jr., PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, Texas
    • ,
  • Antonio Rene, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, Texas

Received 30 April 2009; received in revised form 7 December 2009; accepted 16 December 2009.

Background

Breast cancer incidence and mortality have been increasing among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, and their survival rate is the lowest of all racial/ethnic groups. Nevertheless, knowledge of AI/AN women's breast cancer screening practices and their correlates is limited.

Methods

Using the 2003 California Health Interview Survey, we 1) compared the breast cancer screening practices of AI/AN women to other groups and 2) explored the association of several factors known or thought to influence AI/AN women's breast cancer screening practices.

Findings

Compared with other races, AI/AN women had the lowest rate of mammogram screening (ever and within the past 2 years). For clinical breast examination receipt, Asian women had the lowest rate, followed by AI/AN women. Factors associated with AI/AN women's breast cancer screening practices included older age, having a high school diploma or some college education, receipt of a Pap test within the past 3 years, and having visited a doctor within the past year.

Conclusion

Significant differences in breast cancer screening practices were noted between races, with AI/AN women often having significantly lower rates. Integrating these epidemiologic findings into effective policy and practice requires additional applied research initiatives.

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 Author Descriptions

 Jan Eberth is the recipient of a National Cancer Institute Cancer Education and Career Development Predoctoral Fellowship (National Cancer Institute/NIH Grant #2R25-CA057712). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.

PII: S1049-3867(09)00175-3

doi:10.1016/j.whi.2009.12.004

Women's Health Issues
Volume 20, Issue 2 , Pages 139-145, March 2010

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