Early breast cancer detection behaviors among ethnically diverse low-income women

We examined factors associated with early breast cancer detection behaviors among 301 ethnically diverse low-income women participating in a breast cancer educational outreach program. Multivariate analyses showed that women who had a mammogram in the past year were more likely to be more knowledgeable about breast cancer than women who did not have a mammogram in the past year. Women who had received a mammogram at any time in the past and who had a clinical breast examination during the preceding year were more likely to have received encouragement to obtain mammography than those who had never received a mammogram and did not get a CBE during the preceding year. For women between the ages of 20 and 39, recommendation of mammography and breast cancer knowledge were related positively to ever having a mammogram. Recommendation of breast self-examination (BSE) and number of barriers to BSE were related to monthly BSE practice. Results suggests that health care providers play an important role in motivating low-income minority women to comply with breast cancer screening recommendations.