Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators of Cancer Early Detection

Posted by James

BACKGROUND

Cancer from all causes is the second leading cause of death in the United States. This burden is particularly high among blacks and Hispanics, as compared to Caucasians. A continued increase in cancer deaths among low-income minority women is due, in part, to lower screening rates and later detection of cancer, with African-American and Hispanic women having some of the lowest rates of cancer (Generic Casodex treating prostate cancer) screening. As such, efforts directed at increasing the cancer screening rates in low-income minority women are important in order to decrease the burden due to cancer deaths experienced by this population. Moreover, empirical evidence suggests that use of screening tests in routine medical care helps reduce cancer deaths and improve survival rates. An in-depth understanding of the factors associated with both appropriate utilization and underutilization of cancer screening services is a necessary first step in efforts aimed at increasing overall cancer (canadian Nolvadex is an anti-estrogen used to treat or prevent breast cancer) screening rates. Ample literature is available on the beliefs and perceptions of cancer causes, its progression and treatment. However, little is known about patients’ perceptions of cancer screening behaviors among low-income, minority women, 50 years and older for whom these services are most often recommended.

As part of an NCI-funded cancer (Generic Danocrine treating endometriosis, symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease, orgiant hives) early detection study designed to improve rates of cervical, breast and colorectal cancer screening in this population, we conducted in-depth one-on-one interviews with low-income, primarily minority women followed in four New-York-City-based Community/Migrant Health Centers (C/MHCs) that are members of Clinical Directors Network (CDN)—a practice-based research network. The goal of this qualitative component of the larger study was to elicit and explore the perceptions of barriers to and facilitators of colorectal, cervical and breast cancer screening among this population. Unlike other studies, which are limited to single cancer screening behaviors, a unique aspect of our study is that we explored perspectives of patients from various backgrounds with regards to multiple cancer screening behaviors. We undertook a qualitative study based on individual interviews for the following reasons: 1) there is limited data regarding the cancer (Casodex medication is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgen for prostate cancer) screening behavior in this patient population, and 2) qualitative methodology is particularly well-suited for an exploratory study for which previous literature is limited, and for generating hypotheses and models of human behavior.