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Screening Mammogram Adherence in Medically Underserved Women: Does Language Preference Matter?

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Abstract

This study examines the relationship between language preference and screening mammogram adherence in medically underserved women in New York City. A survey was conducted with 518 women age 40 and over attending breast health education programs in English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese), and French. Women who preferred Chinese were 53% less likely to have had a mammogram within the past year compared to women who preferred English (p < .01). Women age 75 and older (p < .0001) and those without insurance (p < .05) were also found to be significantly less likely to have had a screening mammogram compared to women ages 55–74 and those with private insurance, respectively. This research indicates medically underserved women who prefer a non-English language may benefit from linguistically appropriate interventions to improve screening mammogram adherence. Future research should examine appropriateness of breast cancer screening for women age 75 and older and explore ways to improve screening mammogram use in the uninsured population.

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend their gratitude to all participants of this study as well as our community partners, health educators, and research assistants.

Funding

This work is supported by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai’s Tisch Cancer Institute. Suzanne Vang is funded by a T32 training grant in cancer prevention and control from the National Cancer Institute (T32CA225617).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1077, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Suzanne Vang

  2. Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Laurie R. Margolies

  3. Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Lina Jandorf

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  1. Suzanne Vang
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  2. Laurie R. Margolies
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  3. Lina Jandorf
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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Tisch Cancer Institute, or National Cancer Institute.

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Correspondence to Suzanne Vang.

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Vang, S., Margolies, L.R. & Jandorf, L. Screening Mammogram Adherence in Medically Underserved Women: Does Language Preference Matter?. J Canc Educ 37, 1076–1082 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01922-y

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