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Perceived discrimination and cancer screening behaviors in US Hispanics: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

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Abstract

Purpose

Perceived discrimination has been associated with lower adherence to cancer screening guidelines. We examined whether perceived discrimination was associated with adherence to breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening guidelines in US Hispanic/Latino adults.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study, including 5,313 Hispanic adults aged 18–74 from Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, Miami, FL, and San Diego, CA, and those who were within appropriate age ranges for specific screening tests were included in the analysis. Cancer screening behaviors were assessed via self-report. Perceived discrimination was measured using the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire. Confounder-adjusted multivariable polytomous logistic regression models assessed the association between perceived discrimination and adherence to cancer screening guidelines.

Results

Among women eligible for screening, 72.1 % were adherent to cervical cancer screening guidelines and 71.3 % were adherent to breast cancer screening guidelines. In participants aged 50–74, 24.6 % of women and 27.0 % of men were adherent to fecal occult blood test guidelines; 43.5 % of women and 34.8 % of men were adherent to colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy guidelines; 41.0 % of men were adherent to prostate-specific antigen screening guidelines. Health insurance coverage, rather than perceived ethnic discrimination, was the variable most associated with receiving breast, cervical, colorectal, or prostate cancer screening.

Conclusions

The influence of discrimination as a barrier to cancer screening may be modest among Hispanics/Latinos in urban US regions. Having health insurance facilitates cancer screening in this population. Efforts to increase cancer screening in Hispanics/Latinos should focus on increasing access to these services, especially among the uninsured.

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Acknowledgments

The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos was carried out as a collaborative study supported by contracts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to the University of North Carolina (N01-HC65233), University of Miami (N01-HC65234), Albert Einstein College of Medicine (N01-HC65235), Northwestern University (N01-HC65236), and San Diego State University (N01-HC65237). The following Institutes/Centers/Offices contribute to the HCHS/SOL through a transfer of funds to the NHLBI: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the Office of Dietary Supplements. The HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study was supported by Grant 1RC2HL101649 from the NHLBI/NIH. The Exito! Latino Cancer Research Training program is supported by Grant 1R25CA134301-01A2. Dr. Greenlee is supported by Grants K23CA141052 and R01 CA186080 from the National Cancer Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA

    Cristina Valdovinos & Heather A. Greenlee

  2. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Frank J. Penedo & Melissa A. Simon

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Carmen R. Isasi, Molly Jung & Robert C. Kaplan

  4. Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Rebeca Espinoza Giacinto, Patricia Gonzalez & Hugo Salgado

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Krista Perreira & Lisa M. Wruck

  6. Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Heather A. Greenlee

  7. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Melissa A. Simon

  8. Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Vanessa L. Malcarne

Authors
  1. Cristina Valdovinos
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  2. Frank J. Penedo
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  3. Carmen R. Isasi
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  4. Molly Jung
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  6. Rebeca Espinoza Giacinto
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  7. Patricia Gonzalez
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  8. Vanessa L. Malcarne
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  9. Krista Perreira
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  10. Hugo Salgado
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  11. Melissa A. Simon
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  12. Lisa M. Wruck
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  13. Heather A. Greenlee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather A. Greenlee.

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Valdovinos, C., Penedo, F.J., Isasi, C.R. et al. Perceived discrimination and cancer screening behaviors in US Hispanics: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Cancer Causes Control 27, 27–37 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0679-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0679-0

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