Julie Armin|Cristina Huebner Torres|James Vivian|Cunegundo Vergara|Susan Shaw
Breast self-examination beliefs and practices, ethnicity, and health literacy: Implications for health education to reduce disparities
University of Arizona|University of Hartford|Hartford Hospital|University of Arizona
study aimed quantitatively qualitatively examine breast cancer screening practices including breast selfexamination bse health literacy among patients chronic diseasea prospective multimethod study conducted targeted purposive sample 297 patients diabetes andor hypertension four ethnic groups latino vietnamese african american whiteamerican urban community health centera federally qualified health center western massachusettsin fouryear study 297 participants completed cancer knowledge beliefs attitudes screening utilization scales measures health literacy addition survey data collection conducted indepth interviews focus groups home visits chronic disease diaries n71in focus groups african american vietnamese latina participants offered interviewers unprompted demonstration bse reported regular bse use particular times month shared positive feelings screening method sample approximately 93 women mammogram many also performed bse 852 women adequate health literacy likely inadequate health literacy rely despite positively inclined toward bse vietnamese women lowest health literacy scores sample less likely perform bse regularlybse seemed appealing selfcare practice many women study conclude proper bse practices may reinforced equally across ethnic groups among patients low health literacy