TY - JOUR
T1 - “Don’t Know” and Accuracy of Breast Cancer Risk Perceptions Among Appalachian Women Attending a Mobile Mammography Program
T2 - Implications for Educational Interventions and Patient Empowerment
AU - LeMasters, Traci
AU - Madhavan, Suresh
AU - Atkins, Elvonna
AU - Vyas, Ami
AU - Remick, Scot
AU - Vona-Davis, Linda
N1 - Funding Information:
The study authors acknowledge the partial financial funding by AHRQ Grant no. 1R24H5018622-01, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The authors would also like to thank the following contributors for their valued efforts: Dee Headley, Barbara Menear, Amy Mayhugh, Gary Osborne, James Taylor, Gina Short, Emily Bucher, and Deena Young. ®
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2014/12
Y1 - 2014/12
N2 - Risk perceptions are motivating factors for engaging in preventive health behaviors. Yet, almost one third of women attending a mobile mammography program targeted to rural and medically underserved Appalachian women respond “don’t know” to their perceived 5-year risk of breast cancer. This study used cross-sectional data from women aged >40 years participating in Bonnie’s Bus Mammography Screening and Preventive Care Survey from 2009 to 2011 to identify factors associated with “don’t know” responses and accuracy of perceived risk according to constructs of the health belief model and sociodemographic characteristics. Women who responded “don’t know” were more likely to be less educated, of lower income, insured by Medicaid, and less knowledgeable about breast cancer. Conversely, women who accurately perceived their risk were more likely to be of higher education, more knowledgeable about breast cancer, and have a family history of breast cancer. However, women with a high objective 5-year risk of breast cancer and older age at childbirth or were nulliparous were less likely to accurately perceive their risk. These findings suggest that women who indicate “don’t know” responses and hold inaccurate risk perceptions are a population vulnerable to health disparities and may benefit from educational interventions focused on improving breast cancer knowledge and perceptions to empower them to take an active role in their preventive health and make informed decisions based on their individual level of risk.
AB - Risk perceptions are motivating factors for engaging in preventive health behaviors. Yet, almost one third of women attending a mobile mammography program targeted to rural and medically underserved Appalachian women respond “don’t know” to their perceived 5-year risk of breast cancer. This study used cross-sectional data from women aged >40 years participating in Bonnie’s Bus Mammography Screening and Preventive Care Survey from 2009 to 2011 to identify factors associated with “don’t know” responses and accuracy of perceived risk according to constructs of the health belief model and sociodemographic characteristics. Women who responded “don’t know” were more likely to be less educated, of lower income, insured by Medicaid, and less knowledgeable about breast cancer. Conversely, women who accurately perceived their risk were more likely to be of higher education, more knowledgeable about breast cancer, and have a family history of breast cancer. However, women with a high objective 5-year risk of breast cancer and older age at childbirth or were nulliparous were less likely to accurately perceive their risk. These findings suggest that women who indicate “don’t know” responses and hold inaccurate risk perceptions are a population vulnerable to health disparities and may benefit from educational interventions focused on improving breast cancer knowledge and perceptions to empower them to take an active role in their preventive health and make informed decisions based on their individual level of risk.
KW - Accuracy of perceived risk
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Mammography screening
KW - Perceived risk
KW - “Don’t know” risk
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84894039724&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s13187-014-0621-2
DO - 10.1007/s13187-014-0621-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 24563177
AN - SCOPUS:84894039724
SN - 0885-8195
VL - 29
SP - 669
EP - 679
JO - Journal of Cancer Education
JF - Journal of Cancer Education
IS - 4
ER -