- Tsu-Yin Wu: Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer consistently is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer mortality among Asian Americans in the United States. The incidence of breast cancer in Asian American women has been increasing at a much higher rate than in white women.
OBJECTIVES: A randomized control single-blind study was conducted comparing the efficacy of an individually tailored telephone counseling and National cancer Institute brochure.
METHODS: The sample consisted of 193 Chinese American women with no breast cancer history. The participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. Self-reported data that included demographic variables, knowledge, beliefs, and screening behaviors were collected at baseline and 4 months.
RESULTS: The intervention group had increased screening to 40% compared with 33% for the control group at 4 months; the difference was not statistically significant. When the subanalyses were performed, the intervention is effective in certain demographic groups (ie, elderly women aged ≥65 years and recent immigrants). The study intervention was well accepted by participants and perceived as feasible and culturally appropriate based on process evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS: The study also demonstrates the feasibility of recruiting and retaining eligible women to participate, and the results show that both study intervention and printed materials increase awareness of the importance of breast cancer screening and screening behaviors for Chinese American women.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Oncology nurses and advanced practice nurses can play critical roles on this medically underserved population that experiences disparities in breast cancer mortality by providing culturally appropriate counseling to promote screening adherence.