Using the health belief model to examine differences in adherence to mammography among African-American and Caucasian women

Susan Thomas Vadaparampil, Victoria L. Champion, Theodore K. Miller, Usha Menon, Celette Sugg Skinner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Current studies indicate that rates of mammography use in the general population fall below objectives set by leading health agencies. This is even more true in the African-American community. This study used the health belief model as the theoretical basis of a secondary data analysis to establish differences in health beliefs among African-American and Caucasian women related to mammography. Data were obtained from members of the Indiana University Medical Group and from outpatients of the General Medicine Clinic, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, in St. Louis, Missouri. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the health belief model explained approximately 13% of the variance associated with Caucasian women's compliance with mammography and approximately 9% of the variance for African-American women, with differences between specific variables that appeared to have the most explanatory power. These findings indicate that the model, although a good starting point, does not completely explain the differences that exist between health beliefs or behavior regarding mammography among the two groups of women.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)59-79
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Psychosocial Oncology
Volume21
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003

Keywords

  • Health belief model
  • Mammography
  • Race
  • Structural equation modeling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Applied Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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