ATTITUDES ABOUT BREAST-CANCER AND MAMMOGRAPHY - RACIAL, INCOME, AND EDUCATIONAL-DIFFERENCES

This study examined the effect of race, income, and education on perce ived susceptibility to and control over breast cancer, perceived benef its of and barriers to mammography, and knowledge about breast cancer and mammography use, in addition to determining if predictors for mamm ography use differed between races. Self-reported mailed survey data w ere obtained from a convenience sample of 1083 church women (78% Cauca sian, 22% African-American) greater than or equal to 50 years with no history of breast cancer. ANOVA identified higher susceptibility and l ower knowledge scores for African-American women; higher knowledge sco res for upper income women of both races; interactions between race an d income for benefits and perceived control; and interactions between race and education for barriers. African-American women were more like ly to regard fear of radiation as a barrier to mammography (OR = .34; CI = .20, .57) and were more likely to worry about getting breast canc er (OR = .50; CI = .30, .82). Caucasian women were more likely regard cost as a barrier (OR = 2.36, CI = 1.27, 4.40). For both races, variab les predictive of ever having a mammogram were perceived control (Whit e: OR = .69, CI = .54, .88; Black: OR = .50, CI = .38, .92), perceived barriers (White: OR = .88, CI = .83, .95; Black: OR = .75, CI = .64, .88), and knowledge (White: OR = 1.18, CI = 1.04, 1.33; Black: OR = 1. 28, CI = 1.02, 1.61). Perceived benefits was predictive only for Cauca sians (OR = 1.71, CI = 1.42, 2.06). Racial differences in perceived ba rriers to mammography and findings about the knowledge differences rel ated to race, income, and education provide direction for health educa tion efforts. The significance of cost factors for Caucasian and low-i ncome women suggest that access barriers remain despite increased use of mammography.