Cancer Fatalism and Its Demographic Correlates Among African American and Hispanic Women

This article focuses on cancer fatalism as a barrier to regular cancer screening among African American and Hispanic women. The purpose of the study was to identify variables associated with cancer fatalism and to investigate the relationship of cancer fatalism and its correlates with adherence to screening for gynecological cancer. Study participants (83 African American women and 98 Hispanic women above the age of 18) were assessed on sociodemographic variables, family health history, current medical access and care, physicians' recommendations, cancer fatalism, and adherence to cancer screening. Multivariate analyses indicated that education was the only variable associated with cancer fatalism. Fatalistic beliefs toward cancer were not associated with adherence to gynecological cancer screening, but a physician's recommendation was. These data indicate that patient-physician communication is crucially important to cancer screening.