The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40484

Melissa A. Clark, PhD, Laura B. Bonacore, BS, Christine M. Duffy, MD, and Shirley J. Wright, MA. Center for Gerontology & Health Care Research, Brown University, Box G-H, Providence, RI 02912, (401) 863-3170, melissa_clark@brown.edu

Introduction: The Cancer Screening Project for Women is a study about the experiences of legally unmarried middle-aged and older women with breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. Methods: Four focus groups were conducted in fall 2001 with women ages 40-75. In a screening protocol, women were asked legal marital status and sex of current partner, or preference of sex of partner if they were to be in a relationship. Partner preference included: partner with women or with both women and men (WPWM) or partner with men (WPM). Women were invited to attend one of four groups: (1) never married WPWM, (2) previously married WPWM, (3) never married WPM, and (4) previously married WPM. Results: Twenty-eight women attended the focus groups, 14 WPWM and 14 WPM. Several themes were consistent across the groups, including desire for respect and need to be heard by health care providers and staff members. Women wanted to be treated by providers in an attentive manner that conveyed respect, comfort, and knowledge with information being shared. Difficulty of scheduling appointments, need for referrals and insurance approval hindered some women. Some WPWM specifically reported feeling out of place, especially in medical offices that focused primarily on reproductive health. They also spoke of women who express their gender androgynously being more likely to avoid health care facilities. Conclusions: Continued dialog should occur between legally unmarried women and the medical community. Interactions between well-intentioned providers and unmarried women can improve our understanding of the needs of both WPWM and WPM.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe experiences of legally unmarried middle-aged and older women with breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening tests.
• Identify how the behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors that influence women's decisions about cancer screenings may differ between women who partner with women and women who partner with men.
• Articulate unmarried women's perceptions of how reductions in administrative, physical, and emotional barriers to receiving care may influence their likelihood of obtaining cancer screenings on more regular intervals.

Keywords: Cancer Screening, Lesbian Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.