Psychosocial determinants of mammography follow-up after receipt of abnormal mammography results in medically underserved women

J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2010 Feb;21(1 Suppl):71-94. doi: 10.1353/hpu.0.0264.

Abstract

This article targets the relationship between psychosocial determinants and abnormal screening mammography follow-up in a medically underserved population. Health belief scales were modified to refer to diagnostic follow-up versus annual screening. A retrospective cohort study design was used. Statistical analyses were performed examining relationships among sociodemographic factors, psychosocial determinants, and abnormal mammography follow-up. Women with lower mean internal health locus of control scores (3.14) were two times more likely than women with higher mean internal health locus of control scores (3.98) to have inadequate follow-up (OR=2.53, 95% CI=1.12-5.36). Women with less than a high school education had lower cancer fatalism scores than women who had completed high school (47.5 vs. 55.2, p-value=.02) and lower mean external health locus of control scores (3.0 vs. 5.3) (p-value<.01). These constructs have implications for understanding mammography follow-up among minority and medically underserved women. Further comprehensive study of these concepts is warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast Neoplasms / ethnology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control*
  • Mammography / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Rural Health
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*