TY - JOUR
T1 - Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Awareness of Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk
AU - Pagán, José A.
AU - Su, Dejun
AU - Li, Lifeng
AU - Armstrong, Katrina
AU - Asch, David A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Grant R24HS017003); the CDC (Grant H75DP001812-01); and the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (Grant W81XWH-06-1-0334). Views and opinions of, and endorsements by, the authors do not reflect those of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the CDC, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense.
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in awareness of genetic testing for cancer risk are substantial. Purpose: This study assesses the relative importance of contributing factors to gaps in awareness of genetic testing for cancer risk across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (N=25,364) were analyzed in 2009 to evaluate the contribution of demographic factors, SES, health status, nativity/length of residency in the U.S., personal/family history of cancer, and perceived cancer risk to racial and ethnic disparities in genetic testing awareness for cancer risk. The contribution of each factor was assessed using the Fairlie decomposition technique. Results: About 48% of non-Hispanic whites reported that they had heard about genetic testing, followed by 31% of blacks, 28% of Asians, and 19% of Hispanics. Education and nativity/length of residency in the U.S. explained 26% and 30% of the gap between whites and Hispanics, respectively. Education accounted for 22% of the white-black gap, with residential region explaining another 11%. Nativity/length of residency in the U.S. explained 51% of the white-Asian gap. Conclusions: The relative importance of factors contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in genetic testing awareness is specific to the particular groups under comparison. Diverse, culturally competent approaches are needed to improve awareness for different racial and ethnic groups.
AB - Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in awareness of genetic testing for cancer risk are substantial. Purpose: This study assesses the relative importance of contributing factors to gaps in awareness of genetic testing for cancer risk across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (N=25,364) were analyzed in 2009 to evaluate the contribution of demographic factors, SES, health status, nativity/length of residency in the U.S., personal/family history of cancer, and perceived cancer risk to racial and ethnic disparities in genetic testing awareness for cancer risk. The contribution of each factor was assessed using the Fairlie decomposition technique. Results: About 48% of non-Hispanic whites reported that they had heard about genetic testing, followed by 31% of blacks, 28% of Asians, and 19% of Hispanics. Education and nativity/length of residency in the U.S. explained 26% and 30% of the gap between whites and Hispanics, respectively. Education accounted for 22% of the white-black gap, with residential region explaining another 11%. Nativity/length of residency in the U.S. explained 51% of the white-Asian gap. Conclusions: The relative importance of factors contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in genetic testing awareness is specific to the particular groups under comparison. Diverse, culturally competent approaches are needed to improve awareness for different racial and ethnic groups.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.07.021
DO - 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.07.021
M3 - Article
C2 - 19944919
AN - SCOPUS:70450162096
SN - 0749-3797
VL - 37
SP - 524
EP - 530
JO - American journal of preventive medicine
JF - American journal of preventive medicine
IS - 6
ER -