Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Diana Naser

Abstract

The highest incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are seen among minority women groups in the United States. Hispanic women have the highest rate of cervical cancer, contributing to the 2nd highest mortality rate of the disease. Researchers have examined the lower rates of cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women, as compared with other groups of U.S. women, but researchers have not examined cervical cancer screening practices, specifically for U.S. Dominican women. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between compliance with cervical cancer screening and major influences including acculturation, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and usual source of care. The behavioral model for vulnerable populations was the framework used in this research. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to analyze data from the National Health Interview Survey for 2011-2015 focusing on U.S. Dominican women ages 21-65 years (N = 3,644). The results revealed that during certain years there was an association between geographic place of birth (p = .015), years in the United States (p = .015), and usual source for preventive care (p = .001), but no correlation was found for education level (p = .235), family income (p = .240), citizenship status (p = .400), language of the interview (p = .176), and source of care when sick during any of the years analyzed (p = .374). The findings could promote positive social change by informing cervical cancer screening interventions targeting U.S. Dominican women.

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