We propose an innovative research strategy to improve our understanding of factors that influence Hispanic women's knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about breast and cervical cancer and to design interventions that will increase the use of cancer prevention and treatment services. The setting is North Orange County, California, a community in which approximately 23% of the population is Hispanic - Mexican-American, Mexican and Central American. A multidisciplinary team including clinicians, health services researchers, anthropologists, sociologists, oncologists, epidemiologists, gynecologists and statisticians will conduct the research. The project has several innovative components. First of all, we will conduct in-depth ethnographic interviews with Hispanic women and health care providers. Among the Hispanic women, we will study cultural beliefs about cancer, its causes, its treatment, and the perception of obstacles to cancer prevention and treatment services. Among the health care providers, we will assess perceptions about Hispanic women's knowledge about cancer and about their use of cancer prevention and treatment services. We will also assess the providers' knowledge and their cancer screening activities. Secondly, we will conduct broad-based surveys of Hispanics, health care providers, and health care facilities to assess the applicability of the ethnographic interview findings to general populations, to determine knowledge and use of cancer control services by providers, and to identify existing cancer control facilities and services in the community. Thirdly, we will establish a Council on Cancer and Hispanics that will develop, implement, and evaluate culturally appropriate interventions based upon results of the ethnographic interviews and the surveys. The Council will address barriers related to the consumers, the health care providers, and the structure of the health care system. These interventions will improve Hispanic women's knowledge about breast and cervical cancer and will increase their use of cancer prevention and treatment services.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA052931-03
Application #
2095094
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SSS (S1))
Project Start
1991-09-30
Project End
1995-08-31
Budget Start
1993-09-01
Budget End
1995-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Irvine
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Irvine
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92697
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Martinez, R G; Chavez, L R; Hubbell, F A (1997) Purity and passion: risk and morality in Latina immigrants' and physicians' beliefs about cervical cancer. Med Anthropol 17:337-62
Hubbell, F A; Mishra, S I; Chavez, L R et al. (1997) The influence of knowledge and attitudes about breast cancer on mammography use among Latinas and Anglo women. J Gen Intern Med 12:505-8
Chavez, L R; Hubbell, F A; Mishra, S I et al. (1997) The influence of fatalism on self-reported use of Papanicolaou smears. Am J Prev Med 13:418-24
McMullin, J M; Chavez, L R; Hubbell, F A (1996) Knowledge, power and experience: variation in physicians' perceptions of breast cancer risk factors. Med Anthropol 16:295-317
Kaplan, R M; Navarro, A M; Castro, F G et al. (1996) Increased use of mammography among Hispanic women: baseline results from the NCI Cooperative Group on Cancer Prevention in Hispanic Communities. Am J Prev Med 12:467-71
Hubbell, F A; Chavez, L R; Mishra, S I et al. (1996) Beliefs about sexual behavior and other predictors of Papanicolaou smear screening among Latinas and Anglo women. Arch Intern Med 156:2353-8
Chavez, L R; Hubbell, F A; McMullin, J M et al. (1995) Understanding knowledge and attitudes about breast cancer. A cultural analysis. Arch Fam Med 4:145-52
Chavez, L R; Hubbell, F A; McMullin, J M et al. (1995) Structure and meaning in models of breast and cervical cancer risk factors: a comparison of perceptions among Latinas, Anglo women, and physicians. Med Anthropol Q 9:40-74
Hubbell, F A; Chavez, L R; Mishra, S I et al. (1995) From ethnography to intervention: developing a breast cancer control program for Latinas. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr :109-15