Factors of breast cancer screening among Korean immigrants in the United States

J Immigr Minor Health. 2006 Jul;8(3):223-33. doi: 10.1007/s10903-006-9326-2.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to assess breast cancer screening rates and explore factors related to all three measures of breast cancer screening, mammography, clinical breast examination (CBE), and breast self-examination (BSE), among Korean immigrants in the United States. A telephone survey was conducted with 189 Korean women aged 40 and older in Cook County, Illinois. Of this group, 78% had had a mammogram at some point, and 38.6% had had one within the previous year. Fifty-three percent had had a CBE, while 26.1% had had one within the previous year. Whereas 58.1% had examined their breasts before, 46.3% did monthly BSE. Korean women's breast cancer screening rates are improving even though the rates are still lower than screening rates in the United States. Having a regular check-up and being married were strongly related to all three measures of cancer screening. Further in-depth research is suggested to understand KA women's perspectives on having access to care.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Asian / education
  • Asian / psychology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / ethnology
  • Breast Self-Examination / statistics & numerical data
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Emigration and Immigration*
  • Female
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Illinois
  • Korea / ethnology
  • Mammography / statistics & numerical data
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Palpation / statistics & numerical data
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology*
  • Physical Examination
  • Women's Health / ethnology