Cancer Screening Behaviors Among Latina Women: The Role of the Latino Male

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to determine, through a community-based breast and cervical cancer intervention program, the impact Latino males may have on Latinas and their cancer screening behaviors. This report includes data collected from 163 Latino males recruited throughout rural Arkansas and four New York City boroughs for the Esperanza y Vida program, designed to evaluate cancer screening outcomes among Latinas and address their health care needs and cancer control challenges. Basic demographics and identical pre- and post-program knowledge surveys were collected and analyzed using SPSS 15.0 and SAS 9.2. Results from this study suggest Latino men have little knowledge about breast or cervical cancer screening and are unfamiliar with their partners' screening histories. Male participants were also less likely to complete program assessment forms (pre, post, demographic questionnaires) and more likely to commit response errors (i.e. multiple answers, illegible responses). These findings suggest that including males in education programs for Latinas may be a crucial component in decreasing cancers among this segment of the population. The further development of programs such as Esperanza y Vida, that empowers Latino males, will be important in reducing the unequal burden of breast and cervical cancers for Latinas. It is important to continue including Latino men in these types of studies because the impact of their role on Latina's health remains understudied, unknown, and misunderstood.

Awareness of sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer among husbands in urban slums of Mumbai, India

“…Studies on knowledge of men about cervical cancer and pap smear screening test for cervical cancer indicated low awareness among men. 5,13,14 Similar findings were observed in the current study. Only 8.5 percent of respondents in this study were aware of cervical cancer, whereas 0.3 percent of respondents were aware of pap smear screening test.…”

Delays in Cancer Care Among Low-Income Minorities Despite Access

“…Educating Latino partners and leveraging cultural gender roles may facilitate women's engagement in the screening process. 47,48 Finally, Hispanic women noted an absence of a family member to passively model or directly consult about cancer-related care, which supports interventions targeting improvements in cancer knowledge transfer across generations.…”

Opportunities to Reduce Cancer Barriers: Community Town Halls and Provider Focus Groups

“…The overburdened role of Hispanic women within the family was also discussed as a barrier to seeking preventive care. Previous research suggest that parents in immigrant families may neglect their own health needs, so they can focus on their children’s prosperity [2, 13]. Women, in general, may be more likely to focus their attention on the needs of their partner or children rather than their own health needs.…”