Breast cancer disparities in the Hispanic population: Is country of origin more predictive than primary language?
Gillian Haber Florida International University, Miami, FL Introduction: Recent studies confirm that racial and ethnic disparities exist in the diagnosis of breast cancer in women. Breast cancer is the number one killer among Hispanic women and stage at diagnosis is one of the most important prognostic factors for breast cancer morbidity and mortality. Although Hispanics speak the same language, they differ in socio-cultural norms and behavioral practice by country of origin. Cultural beliefs play a significant role in health seeking behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine if the country of origin of Hispanic women is more predictive of breast carcinoma stage at diagnosis (BCSAD) than Spanish as the primary language spoken. Methods: A literature review was conducted to analyze the studies on country of origin and BCSAD. Articles included those dealing with health disparities, country of origin, insurance status, length of stay in the U.S., and socioeconomic status. In addit
