6051 Background: Women of minority races have lower levels of mammography screening and have lower mammography return rates compared to Caucasians. To better understand this problem, we conducted a study of African American, Hispanic, and Asian women’s experiences with mammography. Methods: Six focus groups were conducted with a total of 49 women (19 Asian, 16 African American, and 14 Hispanic) recruited from community medical clinics in Boston. Eligible women had at least one prior mammogram and no personal history of cancer. Focus groups were guided by the attitude-social influence-efficacy model. Cultural barriers to repeat mammography were explored. Discussions were recorded and transcribed, and thematic content analyses were performed. Results: All groups expressed that older generations considered breast health a taboo topic. African American and Hispanic women felt that lack of insurance was not a barrier to mammography since they were savvy about free care options. A prominent reason that African Americans avoided mammograms was a fatalistic belief that a breast cancer diagnosis would inevitably lead to death. African Americans felt that ongoing cancer screening was not a priority because other diseases, such as HIV, were of greater concern. African Americans also felt that dominant social issues, such as drug and domestic abuse, made adherence to preventive health care less important. In contrast, Asians felt that mammogram return rates were poor because appointments took time away from work. Asian and Hispanic women identified discourteous behavior by hospital staff as a barrier. Most Asians were bothered by the staff’s insensitivity to their embarrassment of having to undress for mammograms. Many Hispanics were bothered by a language barrier and perceived indifference of the hospital staff. Conclusions: Cultural barriers to repeat mammography appear to vary among different racial groups. Interventions to improve screening among minority populations may be more successful if they address group-specific concerns. No significant financial relationships to disclose.