Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore breast cancer beliefs among a cohort of low-income, urban, English-speaking women in Miami, Florida, who had undergone screening mammography. METHODS: Four focus groups of 34 women were conducted. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were analyzed separately by two investigators using an immersion-and-crystallization approach. Common risk factors were identified by consensus. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly African American (82%) women of low income (77% with a household income <$20,000/year). Common risk factors included family history, environmental factors, trauma, and sexual activity. There also was a perception that breast cancer grows rapidly and causes detectable symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Women voiced some accurate and numerous inaccurate beliefs regarding the causes of breast cancer, suggesting a lack of knowledge about the potential benefits and harms of screening mammography before undergoing examination. These findings highlight the importance of identifying women's underlying beliefs when initiating a discussion of breast cancer screening and prevention to ensure that messages are mutually understood.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 649-654 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Southern Medical Journal |
| Volume | 106 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2013 |
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Keywords
- breast cancer
- health beliefs
- health communication
- mammography
- shared decision making
- women's health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Does a bite cause cancer misperceptions of breast cancer etiology among low-income urban women in miami, florida. / Marcus, Erin N; Drummond, Darlene K.; Dietz, Noella; Kenya, Sonjia.
In: Southern Medical Journal, Vol. 106, No. 12, 01.12.2013, p. 649-654.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Does a bite cause cancer misperceptions of breast cancer etiology among low-income urban women in miami, florida
AU - Marcus, Erin N
AU - Drummond, Darlene K.
AU - Dietz, Noella
AU - Kenya, Sonjia
PY - 2013/12/1
Y1 - 2013/12/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To explore breast cancer beliefs among a cohort of low-income, urban, English-speaking women in Miami, Florida, who had undergone screening mammography. METHODS: Four focus groups of 34 women were conducted. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were analyzed separately by two investigators using an immersion-and-crystallization approach. Common risk factors were identified by consensus. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly African American (82%) women of low income (77% with a household income <$20,000/year). Common risk factors included family history, environmental factors, trauma, and sexual activity. There also was a perception that breast cancer grows rapidly and causes detectable symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Women voiced some accurate and numerous inaccurate beliefs regarding the causes of breast cancer, suggesting a lack of knowledge about the potential benefits and harms of screening mammography before undergoing examination. These findings highlight the importance of identifying women's underlying beliefs when initiating a discussion of breast cancer screening and prevention to ensure that messages are mutually understood.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To explore breast cancer beliefs among a cohort of low-income, urban, English-speaking women in Miami, Florida, who had undergone screening mammography. METHODS: Four focus groups of 34 women were conducted. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were analyzed separately by two investigators using an immersion-and-crystallization approach. Common risk factors were identified by consensus. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly African American (82%) women of low income (77% with a household income <$20,000/year). Common risk factors included family history, environmental factors, trauma, and sexual activity. There also was a perception that breast cancer grows rapidly and causes detectable symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Women voiced some accurate and numerous inaccurate beliefs regarding the causes of breast cancer, suggesting a lack of knowledge about the potential benefits and harms of screening mammography before undergoing examination. These findings highlight the importance of identifying women's underlying beliefs when initiating a discussion of breast cancer screening and prevention to ensure that messages are mutually understood.
KW - breast cancer
KW - health beliefs
KW - health communication
KW - mammography
KW - shared decision making
KW - women's health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84890317879&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84890317879&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/SMJ.0000000000000022
DO - 10.1097/SMJ.0000000000000022
M3 - Article
VL - 106
SP - 649
EP - 654
JO - Southern Medical Journal
JF - Southern Medical Journal
SN - 0038-4348
IS - 12
ER -