Dimensions Model and Mammography Screening among Thai Women

Health-related behaviors, such as breast cancer screening, are influenced by a wide variety of factors. In order to promote breast cancer screening in ethnic minority groups, specific factors influencing screening behaviors must be identified and understood. Focus groups are one means of identifying factors influencing breast cancer screening in a particular ethnic population. Focus groups give rise to extensive amounts of data, so it is helpful to have some sort of organizing structure for analyzing the data and identifying points at which intervention will most likely enhance screening behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with Thai women in the Southern California area to identify factors influencing mammography screening in this population. Data were organized in terms of the dimensions of health component of the Dimensions Model of Community Health Nursing. Factors influencing mammography screening were identified in each of the six dimensions of health and provide direction for nursing interventions to promote breast cancer screening in this population.