Feasibility of a targeted breast health education intervention for Chinese American immigrant women.

Purpose/objectives: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a targeted educational intervention to increase mammography screening among Chinese American women.

Design: One-group pre- and post-test quasiexperimental design.

Setting: Metropolitan areas of Portland, OR.

Sample: 44 foreign-born Chinese American women aged 40 years and older.

Methods: Participants who had not had a mammogram within the past 12 months were recruited and enrolled to a targeted breast health educational program. Before starting the group session, participants completed a baseline survey, which was administered again 12 weeks postintervention.

Main Research Variables: Completion of mammography screening test, movement in stage of readiness, mammography and breast cancer knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and perceived common and cultural barriers.

Findings: The study response rate was high (71%). Of the 42 women who completed the study, 21 (50%) had a mammogram postintervention. The top three reasons for not completing a mammogram at the end of the study were no need or no symptom, busy, and reliance on family for assistance. Mean breast cancer susceptibility scores increased significantly at post-test as theorized (t[40] = -2.88, p < 0.01). Participants were more likely to obtain a mammogram when they had been in the United States for 3-15 years.

Conclusions: A targeted program that aims to increase breast health knowledge, improve access, and remove barriers may promote mammography screening among Chinese American immigrant women.

Implications For Nursing: This promising intervention now being tested under a randomized, controlled design can be adapted to other Asian subgroups.

Knowledge Translation: Targeted breast health intervention is feasible for improving mammography screening among Chinese immigrant women. Educating these women about early detection is important, as the first sign of breast cancer usually shows on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present. Immigrant women may be too busy to dedicate proper time to self-care behaviors; therefore, making it easier and faster for them to obtain a mammogram may improve the screening rate.