Asian/Pacific Islander American women: age and death rates during hospitalization for breast cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To investigate whether differences in age and death rates exist between hospitalized Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) women and women of other racial groups.

Design: Secondary data analysis of a national data set.

Setting: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Release 6, was used to obtain hospitalization data on women with breast cancer based on racial status. A total of 20,507 hospitalization records met the study criteria.

Sample: All women who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer, were older than 18, and did not die during hospitalization, plus all women who met the criteria stated above but died during hospitalization.

Methods: Secondary data analysis. Post hoc analysis was used to identify significant differences among racial groups.

Findings: Significant differences were found between APIA and Caucasian and Latino women. Significant differences based on race were found between subjects who had died during hospitalization. On average, APIA women were the youngest to die.

Conclusions: APIA women with breast cancer were among the youngest women being hospitalized and the youngest to die during hospitalization.

Implications For Nursing: Cultural awareness by nurses is critical when discussing methods for prevention and early detection of breast cancer with minority women. Targeting new immigrants is a priority for those who screen and educate women about detection and treatment of breast cancer.