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Literacy of Breast Cancer and Screening Guideline in an Immigrant Group: Importance of Health Accessibility

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Abstract

Little is known about predictors of breast cancer literacy among immigrant women. A cross-sectional survey investigated predisposing, enabling, and need factors of breast cancer literacy among 233 Korean American women living in a southeastern U.S. city. Breast cancer literacy was measured by questions that asked awareness of cancer screening methods and a 5-item questionnaire derived from the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer screening guidelines and risk factors. Annual checkup was an enabling factor of awareness of Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) and mammogram, and also for breast cancer literacy covering the knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines and risk factors. Health status was a need factor of CBE awareness. Marital status was a predisposing factor of mammogram awareness, and age and years of residence in the US were predisposing factors of breast cancer literacy. The findings of the study illuminate probable avenues of intervention to promote breast health knowledge for Korean American women.

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Acknowledgements

This work was jointly supported by the University of Georgia School of Social Work, the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, and the endowed research fund by the University of Alabama School of Social Work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work and Sociology, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 E. Market Street, Greensboro, NC, 27411, USA

    Soonok An

  2. School of Social Work, University of Alabama, 1022 Little Hall, Box 870314, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

    Hee Yun Lee

  3. School of Social Work, University of Georgia, 279 Williams Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Y. Joon Choi

  4. School of Social Work, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1404 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Young Ji Yoon

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Correspondence to Soonok An.

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An, S., Lee, H.Y., Choi, Y.J. et al. Literacy of Breast Cancer and Screening Guideline in an Immigrant Group: Importance of Health Accessibility. J Immigrant Minority Health 22, 563–570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-00973-z

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