Abstract
The goals of this study were to evaluate breast and cervical cancer screening tests and to examine the correlates of cancer screening behaviors. A cross-sectional face-to-face survey of 438 Korean-American women residing in Maryland was conducted. About 50% of women age 18 and older had had a Pap smear and 46.6% of these women age 40 and older had had a mammogram in the past 2 years. In multiple logistic regression analyses, the strongest correlate of screening behaviors was having a regular medical checkup. Age and acculturation were found to be important correlates of cancer screening tests: Women less than 50 years of age were more likely to have cancer screening tests than those 50 years and older. English language proficiency was associated with having a mammogram and the proportion of life spent in the United States was associated with having a Pap smear. Employment interacted with marital status for a Pap smear, with those married and unemployed being less likely to have a Pap smear than women who were both married and employed. For strategies to increase cancer-screening tests among Korean-American women, we need to aim at developing culturally appropriate educational programs about cancer for less acculturated and recent immigrants.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 589-601 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Cancer detection and prevention |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 6 |
State | Published - Dec 1 2000 |
Keywords
- Access to health care
- Acculturation
- Korean
- Mammography
- Pap smear
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research