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Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Among South Asian Women in New York City

  • Asians and Asian Americans
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to document the breast and cervical cancer screening practices of a community sample of South Asian women living in the New York City area. A convenience sample of 98 women was engaged in face-to-face interviews regarding their socio-demographic characteristics and cancer screening utilization. Sixty-seven percent of women had ever had a Pap test; 54% had one in the last 3 years. Seventy percent of women over 40 had ever had a mammogram; 56% had one in the last 2 years. Sixty-six percent of women had knowledge of breast self-exam (BSE); 34% of women ever practiced BSE. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that insurance status was a significant predictor of ever having a Pap test or mammogram, receiving timely Pap tests, and ever practicing BSE. Education was a significant predictor of ever having a Pap test and having knowledge of BSE. Marital status was a predictor of receiving timely Pap tests, and having spent more time in the U.S. was a predictor of ever practicing BSE. The study concludes that increased educational efforts must be developed targeting immigrant South Asian women of low socioeconomic status with limited access to healthcare.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York City, New York

    Nadia Islam MA

  2. Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

    Simona C. Kwon

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, New York

    Ruby Senie

  4. Cogent Healthcare, New York City, New York

    Navneet Kathuria

  5. Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, MSB-153, New York City, New York, 10016-6481

    Nadia Islam MA

Authors
  1. Nadia Islam MA
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  2. Simona C. Kwon
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  3. Ruby Senie
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  4. Navneet Kathuria
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Correspondence to Nadia Islam MA.

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Islam, N., Kwon, S.C., Senie, R. et al. Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Among South Asian Women in New York City. J Immigrant Health 8, 211–221 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-9325-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-9325-y

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