Melissa Nava

School: DePaul University

Major: Social Justice

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-xnfb-nj53

     Melissa Nava completed her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences at DePaul University. As a first-generation Latinx student, she hopes to continue on making her family and community proud. This is her first publication and she thanks CAURS and Northwestern University for this opportunity.

     Throughout Melissa’s undergraduate career, she became a McNair Scholar. The McNair Scholars Program supported her while applying to summer research programs. She was accepted into the University of Maryland at College Park’s program called UM STAR. She worked in Dr. Cheryl Knott’s Community Health Awareness, Messages, and Prevention (CHAMP) Lab. In this lab, she conducted the data analysis that led to the paper, “Role of Health Insurance Status in Perceived Barriers to Mammography Among African American Women”. This lab provided Melissa with the opportunity to conduct research on barriers that impact African American women’s well-being.

     More research needs to focus on Black women’s well-being. There is a gap in research on Black women’s mental and physical health which affects the chances of the creation and modification of policies that could empower these communities. This includes Black people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. From infant mortality rate to the life expectancy of Black transgender women, health disparities continue to affect their quality of life. Especially in the research field, making their voices heard is a way to empower these communities.

                                    Here is a reminder that Black Lives Matter.

Role of Health Insurance Status in Perceived Barriers to Mammography Among African American Women

Abstract

Breast cancer represents a major health concern in African American communities. In the United States, incidence rates of breast cancer tend to be higher in White women when compared to African American women. Yet, African American women still experience higher mortality rates on average. This disparity that affects these communities emphasizes the need to understand the barriers that individuals face in regard to accessing breast cancer screenings. Previous studies show association of health insurance status with significant variations in health outcomes in regard to breast cancer. This study focuses on how the type of insurance of an individual relates to their perceived barriers in regard to breast cancer screenings. It was hypothesized that those with Medicaid would be more likely to report barriers to breast cancer screenings than those with private insurance. This study collected 255 female participants’ responses from Prince George’s county. Participants completed a pen and paper survey consisting of demographics, cancer knowledge, and health behavior questions. Data collected were analyzed by Chi Square and T-tests through SPSS v24. Results found that the most frequently reported barriers were lack of transportation to the clinic and not being available during the clinics’ business hours. Findings also indicated that women with private health insurance reported significantly fewer barriers versus women without private health insurance. These findings support the implementation of programs and policies to decrease the effect of these barriers.