Factors Associated with Breast Cancer Screening among Korean American Women in California: Results from the California Health Interview Survey 2015–2016

Abstract

Background:Few studies have examined preventive lifestyle behaviors and breast cancer (BC) screening behaviors simultaneously to determine whether BC screening behaviors are associated with preventive lifestyle behaviors. The purposes of this study are to (a) describe BC screening utilization and preventive lifestyle behaviors and (b) examine factors associated with BC utilization among Korean American (KA) women.Methods:Data from the 2015–2016 California Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Survey-weighted adjusted logistic regressions were used to determine whether preventive lifestyle behaviors and characteristics of KA women 50 years of age and older at the time of the survey were associated with obtaining mammograms.Results:Most participants were born outside of the US and had lived in the US for 15 years or more at the time of the survey. This study found that KA women who were 50–64 years old had 38 times greater odds of having ever had a mammogram and a 13 times greater odds of having a recent mammogram than those 65 and older. KA women who walked at least 10 minutes per week for transportation and leisure purposed were 61 times more likely to have ever had a mammogram than those who did not walk.Conclusion:This study provides important perspectives on associations of BC screening behaviors and preventive life-style behaviors, especially walking. Future research should be conducted to better understand the association between BC screening and preventive life-style behaviors and to develop feasible interventions to improve BC screening behaviors among KA women, particularly elderly and physically inactive ones.