Cancer awareness and attitudes toward preventive health behavior.

Elevated rates of morbidity and mortality among ethnic minorities have been linked to alterable patterns of behavior, including preventive health practices. African Americans in Louisiana are not only at increased risk for cancer, they also have poorer prognosis. This investigation describes beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes relevant to general and cancer-specific preventive health practices in a sample of African Americans (n = 48). Findings suggest a number of important differences exist between males and females in their attitude toward health issues. Females valued and expressed greater concern over their health status. Females also expressed greater confidence in their doctor's ability to diagnose cancer before it is too serious, while males appear to hold a more pessimistic view of the effectiveness of early detection. Although the use of a convenience sample limits the generalizations that can be made, present findings identify issues germane to the development of effective intervention strategies for this population.