An Intervention to Increase Mammography Use by Korean American Women

Abstract

To test the effectiveness of a community-based intervention to increase mammography screening for Korean American women. Quasi-experimental, pre-/post-test, three-group design. Urban Korean American communities in Southern California. 141 Korean American women, aged 40-75, who had not had a mammogram in the previous 12 months. Two Korean churches were selected randomly to be study sites that would provide health screening programs. The study included an experimental group that would have access to a peer-group educational program and low-cost mammography, a group that would have access to low-cost mammography alone, and a control group. Participant-focused strategies were used to involve Korean American women from the community. Mammography use, breast cancer screening attitudes, and knowledge. Women in the experimental program had significantly improved attitudes and knowledge about breast cancer screening. Mammography use in the experimental group (87%) was not significantly different from that in the mammography-access-only group (72%). Both interventions proved to be more effective than no intervention at all (control group = 47%). An educational program that includes participant-focused research strategies and access to low-cost mammograms resulted in higher levels of screening. Community-focused interventions can increase rates of cancer screening among Korean American women.