Development of cultural belief scales for mammography screening.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To develop instruments to measure culturally related variables that may influence mammography screening behaviors in African American women. DESIGN Instrumentation methodology. SETTING Community organizations and public housing in the Indianapolis, IN, area. SAMPLE 111 African American women with a mean age of 60.2 years and 64 Caucasian women with a mean age of 60 years. METHODS After item development, scales were administered. Data were analyzed by factor analysis, item analysis via internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha, and independent t tests and logistic regression analysis to test theoretical relationships. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Personal space preferences, health temporal orientation, and perceived personal control. FINDINGS Space items were factored into interpersonal and physical scales. Temporal orientation items were loaded on one factor, creating a one-dimensional scale. Control items were factored into internal and external control scales. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the scales ranged from 0.76-0.88. Interpersonal space preference, health temporal orientation, and perceived internal control scales each were predictive of mammography screening adherence. CONCLUSIONS The three tested scales were reliable and valid. Scales, on average, did not differ between African American and Caucasian populations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING These scales may be useful in future investigations aimed at increasing mammography screening in African American and Caucasian women.