Mammography use among Haitian women in Miami, Florida: an opportunity for intervention

When compared to other racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants in Miami, Florida, Haitian women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer when the prognosis for survival is poor. This disparity likely reflects mammography underutilization. Previous research has not examined the frequency of mammography use among Haitian women in Miami. Our study addresses this gap. In 2007, Community Health Workers (CHWs) recruited nearly 1,000 Haitian women from community venues across Little Haiti, the predominantly Haitian area in Miami, to participate in Rapid Assessment Surveys (RAS). RAS are a quick, cost-efficient method for assessing the prevalence of health behaviors in communities with high-rates of illiteracy and/or distrust of research. Our data indicate Haitian women are less likely than other women in Florida to report regular mammography. Such findings, though not surprising, suggest that grouping all black persons, regardless of ancestry, into one research category may mask variation in disease risk.