Abstract

Cancer screening disparities in ethnic minority women have received much research attention in the last several years due to a marked increase in ethnic minority cancer incidence and poor survival rates (Miller, Kollnel, Bernstein, Young Swanson, West et ah, 1996). Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian American women (Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research & Training, 2002) and, although their incidence and mortality rates are lower than Caucasian women, these rates continue to increase every year. This increasing mortality rate is likely due to the underutilization of breast cancer screening by Asian American women. Asian American and Pacific Islander women have the lowest breast cancer screening and early detection rates of all ethnic groups (Kagawa-Singer, 1996). Although research has identified potential barriers to breast cancer screening, few have focused on the relationship between Asian cultural values, and health beliefs and breast cancer screening disparities in Asian Americans and more specifically, in Japanese American women. The examination of Japanese women will allow a focus on specific values and beliefs. The breast cancer screening section of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system (CDC, 2005), Schwartz’s Values Survey (1994, 2005a, 2005b), and the Chinese Mammography Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (Wu & Yu, 2003) were used to investigate these relationships in 134 Japanese-American women. The results indicate that Japanese American women with the traditional cultural values of Conservatism and Hierarchy were less likely to utilize any breast cancer screening method. Health beliefs did not significantly predict breast cancer screening behaviors.

LLU Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Department

Clinical Psychology

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Kelly R. Morton

Second Advisor

David V. Chavez

Third Advisor

Edward Fujimoto

Fourth Advisor

Louis E. Jenkins

Fifth Advisor

Jason E. Owen

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2008

Date (Title Page)

9-2008

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Mammography -- utilization; Breast Neoplasms -- ethnology; Women's Health; Health Behavior -- ethnology; Risk Factors; Breast Neoplasms -- radiography; Guideline Adherence; Cross-Sectional Studies; Healthcare Disparities -- California; Cultural Diversity; Asian Americans -- Cultural assimilation; Cross-cultural studies

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xi; 126

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

Download

Share

COinS