ASPO Abstracts
Perceived risk of breast cancer and breast health communication among Latina women in Chicago, 2017
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication, Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2018
Abstract Body:
Purpose We examined if Latinas’ risk perception about receiving a breast cancer diagnosis was related to how likely they are to communicate about breast health and to whom (e.g., blood relatives vs. general public) and if this relationship varied by the type of breast health intervention women experienced. Methods This study uses 65 participants (Latina, 52-74 years old; no mammogram in past 2 years) who were recruited via community venues, underwent 1 of 2, 3-session interventions, and completed 2 surveys (pre/post-intervention). One of the interventions educated women about breast cancer risk factors; the other trained women on how to communicate breast health information. We used multivariable regression with GEE to examine the main effects of perceived risk on odds of communicating about breast health (family and friends; blood relatives specifically). We also included an interaction variable to examine moderating effects of intervention type on the relationship. Covariates that were included in the models were age, education, and the proportion of one’s social network with whom the participant talked about breast cancer in the past year. Results Among our 65 participants, the average age was 60.5 (SD= 9.20). Approximately 21.5% had ‰¤high school education, 45.6% were uninsured, and 46.8% were married. Women with moderate perceived risk had higher odds of breast health communication with family and friends relative to women with low perceived risk (OR = 3.8, 95%CI 1.2, 11.6; P=0.02) and women with high perceived risk (OR = 4.6,95%CI 4.35; P=0.02). Women with moderate perceived risk also had higher odds of talking with blood relatives relative to women with low perceived risk (OR=3.1, 95%CI=1.0,9.7, P=0.05), but not women with high perceived risk (OR=3.0, 95%CI=0.70,12.84; P=0.14). Intervention type did not moderate associations (P’s=0.73-0.82). Conclusion Women with moderate perceived risk appear to be more likely to communicate about breast health. This may be because they have enough information to interest them in breast cancer (relative to women with low risk) but not enough to scare them from it (relative to women with high risk). Limitations include a small sample and convenience sampling.
Keywords: breast cancer, Perceived risk, communication