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Abstract #151406

Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD¹, David Lee, PhD¹, Sharon L. Christ, MS², Kathryn E. McCollister, PhD¹, Kristopher L. Arheart, EdD¹, William G. LeBlanc, PhD¹, Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, MPH¹, and Katherine Chung-Bridges, MD, MPH³. (1) Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine - NIOSH Research Group, 1120 NW 14th Street, Room #1049, Miami, FL 33136, 305-243-5912, lfleming@med.miami.edu, (2) Odum Institute for Research in Social Science & Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3355, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (3) Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016700 (R-700), Miami, FL 33101

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess variability in colorectal, breast and cervical cancer screening in a nationally representative sample of US women workers to identify groups which should be targeted for cancer screening interventions.

Methods: Employed National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) participants > 50 years (representing an estimated 6,984,767 US women workers) were asked if they had ever had a colorectal exam (i.e. a sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or proctoscopy), women > 40 years if they had ever had a mammogram (estimated 14,920,874), and women > 18 years (estimated 30,043,045) if they had ever had a pap smear. Prevalence rates were adjusted for the survey design.

Results: Compared to non-Hispanics, Hispanic women workers were less likely to report ever having a pap smear (95% vs. 85%; p<0.05), a mammogram (87% vs. 78%; p<0.05) and a colorectal exam (31% vs 23%; p<0.05). The ethnicity gap in screening for both cancers was least pronounced for white collar workers, and most pronounced for blue-collar and service workers. For these latter two worker groups, Hispanic women workers reported screening rates which were 7-15 percentage points lower than their non-Hispanic counterparts. Conclusions: Hispanic blue collar and service women workers reported markedly lower lifetime use of pap smear, mammography and colorectal screening relative to non-Hispanic women workers in these important sectors of the US workforce. Effective worksite-based cancer screening programs targeting all women workers, and Hispanic women workers in particular, are urgently needed.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the apparent health disparities in the reported cancer screening behaviors of Hispanic vs Non Hispanic US women workers
• Explore possible sustainable solutions to this disparity
• Identify the National Health Interview Survey as an important source of cancer behavior and health disparity information for the entire US population

Keywords: Occupational Health, Women's Health

Related Web page: www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/niehs/niosh/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.