Reactions to Race and Cancer Screening Utilization.

Asrabadi, Adib., Reactions to Race and Cancer Screening Utilization. Master of Science (Biomedical Sciences), May, 2006, 43 pp., 4 tables, bibliography. As cancer rates continue to rise, the importance of patient compliance with appropriate screening methods also increases. This study explored a realm of preventive services where few studies have gone to date. The study sample was selected from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) which included 37,985 participants. The associations of reactions to race and possible confounders with cancer screening utilizations for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers were examined. Bivariate analyses as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore these associations. The results demonstrated that negative reaction to race were not associated with cancer screening utilization. However, other associations between independent variables and utilization of mammogram, Pap smear, and colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy screening were discovered. Further in-depth exploration of reactions to race in relation to cancer screening is warranted