Doctoral Dissertation Research: Evaluating a stage model in the prediction of Latinas' cervical cancer screening practices

研究表明，美国拉丁裔，特别是新移民，比白人女性更有可能被诊断为宫颈癌并死于宫颈癌。定性研究表明，拉丁美洲人在获得卫生服务方面面临许多障碍，但没有系统的定量研究来解释预防行为。这项工作结合了文化适应理论和信仰和行为关系的社会心理学，作为阶段模型中的概念框架。本研究使用两阶段模型的结构来研究众多个体变量-感知脆弱性、主观规范、自我效能、对宫颈癌的态度、知识、文化适应和文化因素-与预防行为之间的复杂关系。这项工作包括焦点小组、量表验证练习，然后是一项旨在解释北卡罗来纳州拉丁裔寻求健康做法的系统调查。这项研究将确定拉丁裔文化精神中的因素，这些因素会增加他们患宫颈癌的风险，降低他们寻求癌症筛查的倾向。

Research shows that U.S. Latinas, particularly recent immigrants, are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from cervical cancer than are white women. Qualitative studies suggest that Latinas face numeorus barriers in attaining health services, but there are no systematic quantitative studies that account for preventive behaviors. The work combines acculturation theories and the social psychology of belief and behavior relationships as conceptual frames in a stage model. This study uses constructs from two stage models to investgate the complex relationships among numerous individual variables - perceived vulnerability, subjective norms, self-efficacy, attitudes toward cervical cancer, knowledge, acculturation, and cultural factors - and precautionary behaviors. The work involves focus groups, scale validation exercises, and then a systematic survey designed to account for health-seeking practices among Latinas in North Carolina. The research will identify factors within the cultural ethos of Latinas that have the effect of increasing their risk of cervical cancer and lessening their propensity to seek cancer screening.