This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD; Fabio Sabogal, PhD; Regina Otero-Sabogal, PhD; Robert A. Hiatt, MD, PhD; Stephen J. McPhee, MD

JAMA. 1992;268(22):3219-3223.

Abstract
Objective.
—To collect information regarding knowledge about and attitudes toward cancer in a sample of adult health plan members, self-identified as Latino or Anglo.

Design.
—Cross-sectional survey.

Setting.
—Prepaid health plan.

Respondents.
—A random sample of 844 Latinos (mean age, 50.5 years) and 510 Anglos (51.8 years) completed the interview.

Main Outcome Measures and Results.
—Latinos were significantly more likely than Anglos to think that sugar substitutes (58% vs 42%), bruises from being hit (53% vs 34%), microwave ovens (47% vs 23%), eating pork (31% vs 11%), eating spicy foods (15% vs 8%), breast-feeding (14% vs 6%), and antibiotics (32% vs 12%) could cause cancer (P<.001 for each). Compared with Anglos, Latinos more often misidentified constant dizziness (39% vs 25%) and arthralgias (35% vs 20%) as being symptoms of cancer. A higher proportion of Latinos believed that having cancer is like getting a death sentence (46% vs 26%), that cancer is God's punishment (7% vs 2%), that there is very little one can do to prevent getting cancer (26% vs 18%), that it is uncomfortable to touch someone with cancer (13% vs 8%), and that they would rather not know if they had incurable cancer (35% vs 23%; P<.001 for each). Latino ethnicity was a significant predictor of these knowledge and attitude items in multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex, education, age, employment, marital status, county of residence, and self-perceived health status.

Conclusions.
—We conclude that misconceptions about cancer are more prevalent among Latinos than Anglos and that selected attitudes about cancer among Latinos fit a cultural theme of fatalismo. These data can enable development of culturally appropriate cancer control interventions for Latinos.

(JAMA. 1992;268:3219-3223)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Drs Pérez-Stable, Sabogal, Otero-Sabogal, and McPhee); and Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, Calif (Dr Hiatt).

Footnotes
This research was presented in part at the 14th annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine, Seattle, Wash, May 1, 1991.

Reprint requests to 400 Parnassus Ave, Room A-405, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320 (Dr Pérez-Stable).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

The Latina Breast Cancer Screening Sacle: Beliefs about breast cancer and breast cancer screening
Borrayo et al.
J Health Psychol 2009;14:944-955.
ABSTRACT  

Palliative Care for Latino Patients and Their Families: Whenever We Prayed, She Wept
Smith et al.
JAMA 2009;301:1047-1057.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Development and Evaluation of a Culturally Tailored Educational Video: Changing Breast Cancer-Related Behaviors in Chinese Women
Wang et al.
Health Educ Behav 2008;35:806-820.
ABSTRACT  

Developing and Validating a Measure of Chinese Cultural Views of Health and Cancer
Wenchi Liang et al.
Health Educ Behav 2008;35:361-375.
ABSTRACT  

Fatalistic Beliefs about Cancer Prevention and Three Prevention Behaviors
Niederdeppe and Levy
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16:998-1003.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Ethnic Differences in Decisional Balance and Stages of Mammography Adoption
Otero-Sabogal et al.
Health Educ Behav 2007;34:278-296.
ABSTRACT  

The Inescapable Relevance of Bioethics for the Practicing Clinician
Carrese and Sugarman
Chest 2006;130:1864-1872.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effects of an Art-Based Curriculum on Clinical Trials Attitudes and Breast Cancer Prevention Knowledge
Herman and Larkey
Health Educ Behav 2006;33:664-676.
ABSTRACT  

Minority Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes, Health Care Utilization, and Health-Related Behaviors From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Castellino et al.
JCO 2005;23:6499-6507.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Access and Attitudinal Factors Related to Breast and Cervical Cancer Rescreening: Why are Latinas Still Underscreened?
Otero-Sabogal et al.
Health Educ Behav 2003;30:337-359.
ABSTRACT  

Dietary Supplement Use in the Context of Health Disparities: Cultural, Ethnic and Demographic Determinants of Use
Jasti et al.
J. Nutr. 2003;133:2010S-2013.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effectiveness of Interventions to Increase Papanicolaou Smear Use
Yabroff et al.
J Am Board Fam Med 2003;16:188-203.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Purpose-in-Life and Breast Health Behavior in Hispanic and Anglo Women
Wells and Bush
J Holist Nurs 2002;20:232-249.
ABSTRACT  

Planning for death but not serious future illness: qualitative study of housebound elderly patients
Carrese et al.
BMJ 2002;325:125-125.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of Sociodemographic Factors, Hormone Receptor Status, and Tumor Grade on Ethnic Differences in Tumor Stage and Size for Breast Cancer in US Women
Miller et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2002;155:534-545.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Factors Related to Cancer Screening in Hispanics: A Comparison of the Perceptions of Hispanic Community Members, Health Care Providers, and Representatives of Organizations that Serve Hispanics
Puschel et al.
Health Educ Behav 2001;28:573-590.
ABSTRACT  

Hispanic Cultural Norms for Health-Seeking Behaviors in the Face of Symptoms
Larkey et al.
Health Educ Behav 2001;28:65-80.
ABSTRACT  

Preventive Attitudes and Beliefs of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals
Tamaskar et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:518-525.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Camine Con Nosotros: Connecting Theory and Practice for Promoting Physical Activity among Hispanic Women
Soto et al.
Health Promot Pract 2000;1:178-187.
ABSTRACT  

Testing Adolescents for a Hereditary Breast Cancer Gene (BRCA1): Respecting Their Autonomy Is in Their Best Interest
Elger and Harding
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154:113-119.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Improving Breast Cancer Control Among Latinas: Evaluation of a Theory-Based Educational Program
Mishra et al.
Health Educ Behav 1998;25:653-670.
ABSTRACT  

Influence of Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors on Racial Differences in Late-Stage Presentation of Breast Cancer
Lannin et al.
JAMA 1998;279:1801-1807.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Continuity of Care and the Use of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Services in a Multiethnic Community
O'Malley et al.
Arch Intern Med 1997;157:1462-1470.
ABSTRACT  

Ethnicity and Attitudes Toward Patient Autonomy
Blackhall et al.
JAMA 1995;274:820-825.
ABSTRACT  

Gender, Ethnic, and Acculturation Differences in Sexual Behaviors: Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Adults
Sabogal et al.
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences 1995;17:139-159.
ABSTRACT  

Understanding Knowledge and Attitudes About Breast Cancer: A Cultural Analysis
Chavez et al.
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:145-152.
ABSTRACT  

Cross-cultural Considerations in Clinical Ethics Consultations
Orr et al.
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:159-164.
ABSTRACT  

Cancer: Beliefs and Attitudes of Migrant Latinos
Lantz and Reding
JAMA 1994;272:31-32.
ABSTRACT  

Self-reported Use of Cancer Screening Tests Among Latinos and Anglos in a Prepaid Health Plan
Perez-Stable et al.
Arch Intern Med 1994;154:1073-1081.
ABSTRACT  

Culture and Clinical Care: Folk Illness Beliefs and Behaviors and Their Implications for Health Care Delivery
Pachter
JAMA 1994;271:690-694.
ABSTRACT  

BELIEFS ABOUT CANCER: LATINOS VS ANGLOS
JWatch General 1992;1992:1-1.
FULL TEXT