| Summary |
The purpose of this thesis was to gather information about current breast cancer knowledge, prevalent attitudes, as well as the screening practices, relating to both general health care and breast cancer, of older black and white women residing in Pitt County, North Carolina. A random sample of 49 white women and 47 black women over the age of fifty was selected and data was collected through face to face interviews of the respondents. While incidence of breast cancer is higher among white women, mortality from breast cancer is higher among black women. Breast cancer has become the leading cause of death among on black women. Survival of breast cancer is dependent on screening for early diagnosis and treatment. A gap in breast cancer screening rates exists between black and white women, both nationally and in North Carolina. Those women at highest risk for breast cancer - minority, elderly, rural, and low income generally have poor utilization of screening services. Increasing rates of breast cancer screening among targeted populations is dependent upon intervening with those variables that are shown to influence behavior attitudes, social norms, and behavioral control. While there is a poor correlation between knowledge and behavior, knowledge and socioeconomic variables, such as education and income, are known to affect attitudes. Social or subjective norms, such as the beliefs of social referents (family and friends), are known to exert powerful influences on behaviors. In previous studies, behavioral control, as a measure of resources and barriers, has also been shown to greatly influence behavior. This study, therefore, attempted to measure the level of breast cancer knowledge of a representative sample of black and white women over the age of fifty; their attitudes toward screening and the efficacy of early detection; the beliefs and behaviors of female friends and relatives; as well as the economic resources they possess and the barriers they perceive to breast cancer screening. Information learned from this study will be applied in the design of intervention strategies used to increase mammography screening rates among older black women in eastern North Carolina. |
