Breast cancer screening behaviors among African American women with a strong family history of breast cancer

Background. Despite the importance of breast cancer screening to reduce morbidity and mortality, limited information is available on screening practices among African American women with a family history that is suggestive of hereditary breast cancer. Objectives. To describe adherence to breast cancer screening recommendations among African American women with a family history that is suggestive of hereditary disease. Methods. Participants were unaffected African American women (n = 65) who had a family history of cancer that was suggestive of hereditary breast cancer. Breast cancer screening practices were evaluated by self-report. The study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Women were recruited to participate in the study from February 2003–December 2005. Results. Most women were adherent to recommendations for mammography (75%) and CBE (93%). A sizeable minority of women (41%) also performed excessive BSE. Being older than age 50 was associated significantly with mammography adherence (FET < 0.05). Employment had a significant independent association with BSE; unemployed women were most likely to perform excessive BSE (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.05, 10.21, p < 0.05). Conclusions. The results of this study suggest a complex pattern of breast cancer screening practices among African American women at increased risk for hereditary breast cancer.