Cancer screening among Latinas

描述（由申请人提供）：为了响应PAR-07-380关于理解和减少健康差异的行为和社会科学研究，拟议的研究重点是确定拉丁裔（西班牙裔）妇女乳腺癌筛查和癌症相关行为差异的潜在原因。虽然这项研究的重点是一个单一的人口，拟议的重点是医疗保健，文化因素和规范，以及其他变量将有助于阐明的情况和机制，可能有助于在乳腺癌的差异。拟议研究的主要目标是阐明与各种癌症相关行为和风险因素（吸烟，运动和体重指数）相关的社会心理和文化因素，以及乳腺癌筛查（乳房X光检查）的新近程度，以及检查可能预测这些行为的社会，社区水平和获得医疗保健因素。该模型旨在检验社会资本、邻里因素、癌症筛查和癌症相关健康行为之间的关系;检验家庭主义、吸烟和肥胖相关健康行为规范以及癌症宿命论信念在多大程度上介导了文化适应、癌症筛查和健康行为结果之间的关系;分析是否获得卫生保健中介邻里资源，社会阶层和筛查之间的关系，并检查是否社会资本预测通过社会支持筛查。将从纽约的社区环境（特别是华盛顿高地/因伍德和南布朗克斯的部分地区）招募总共402名拉丁裔。数据将通过面对面访谈收集。邻里特征的数据将来自自我报告，公开的人口普查数据，以及街道一级的观察。采用横截面设计，理论模型将与结构方程模型统计技术进行测试。公共卫生相关性：该研究将确定促进和阻碍拉丁美洲人乳腺癌筛查和癌症相关健康行为的因素。健康教育工作者可以使用这些数据来设计有效的、文化上胜任的教育计划，其他健康专业人员也可以使用这些数据来提供文化上合适的健康服务。因此，这项研究将为制定文化相关的计划提供基础，建议在政策和环境层面的干预点，并导致未来的流行病学研究的个人和结构的决定因素的健康行为的高危人群。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In response to PAR-07-380 Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities, the proposed study focuses on identifying potential causes of disparities in breast cancer screening and cancer-related behaviors among Latina (Hispanic) women. Although the study focuses on a single population, the proposed focus on health care, cultural factors and norms, and other variables will help to elucidate the circumstances and mechanisms that may contribute to disparities in breast cancer. The primary goals of the proposed study are to elucidate psychosocial and cultural factors that are associated with a variety of cancer-related behaviors and risk factors (smoking, exercise, and body mass index), and recency of breast cancer screening (mammography), as well as to examine social, neighborhood-level, and access health care factors that may predict these behaviors. The model aims to examine the relationship between social capital, neighborhood factors, cancer screening, and cancer-related health behaviors; to test the extent to which familism, health-behavior norms concerning smoking and obesity, and fatalistic beliefs about cancer mediate the relationship between acculturation, cancer screening, and health behavior outcomes; to analyze whether access to health care mediates the relationship between neighborhood resources, social class, and screening; and to examine whether social capital predicts screening via social support. A total of 402 Latinas will be recruited from community-based settings in New York (specifically, Washington Heights/Inwood and sections of the South Bronx). Data will be collected via face-to-face interviews. Data on neighborhood characteristics will be derived from self-report, publicly-available Census data, as well as street-level observations. Employing a cross-sectional design, the theoretical model will be tested with Structural Equation Modeling statistical techniques. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The study will identify factors that promote and present barriers to breast cancer screening and cancer-related health behaviors among Latinas. Data can be used by health educators to design effective, culturally-competent educational programs, and by other health professionals to provide culturally-appropriate health services. Therefore, the research will provide a basis for the development of culturally-relevant programs, suggest points of intervention at the policy and environmental levels, and lead to future epidemiologic studies of individual and structural determinants of health behaviors in a high risk group.