Are patterns of health behavior associated with cancer screening?

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between patterns of health behaviors and the use of cancer-screening tests while controlling for sociodemographic and health system factors.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2000 National Health Interview (NHIS).

Setting: Nationally representative sample.

Subjects: Adults 50 years and older.

Measures: Use of cancer-screening tests, health behaviors, sociodemographic factors, and health system factors from self-reported responses from the NHIS. Sixteen health behavior patterns were identified based on lifestyle recommendations for physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption.

Results: Health behavior patterns, age, educational attainment, usual source of care, and health insurance were significantly associated with the use of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening (p < .05). Approximate R2 for the four models ranged from .067 for colorectal cancer screening in women to .122 for cervical cancer screening. Having a usual source of care was the strongest correlate of screening; the magnitude of associations for health behavior patterns and demographic variables and screening was similar and much smaller than those for usual source of care.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate relationships between patterns of multiple health behaviors and use of recommended cancer-screening tests, even when accounting for factors known to influence test use. This suggests potential for addressing cancer screening in the context of multiple behavior change interventions once barriers to health care access are removed.