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Expressions of Machismo in Colorectal Cancer Screening Among New Mexico Hispanic Subpopulations
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Expressions of Machismo in Colorectal Cancer Screening Among New Mexico Hispanic Subpopulations

Christina M Getrich, Andrew L Sussman, Deborah L Helitzer, Richard M Hoffman, Teddy D Warner, Victoria Sánchez, Angélica Solares, Robert L Rhyne and RIOS Net Clinicians
Qualitative health research, Vol.22(4), pp.546-559
04/2012
DOI: 10.1177/1049732311424509
PMCID: PMC3636712
PMID: 22138258
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/3636712View
Open Access

Abstract

Although national colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates have steadily decreased, the rate for New Mexico Hispanics has been increasing and screening rates are low. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to determine barriers to CRC screening for New Mexico Hispanics. We found that machismo served as a dynamic influence on men’s health seeking behaviors; however, it was conceptualized differently by two distinct Hispanic subpopulations and therefore appeared to play a different role in shaping their screening attitudes and behaviors. Machismo emerged as more of an influence for Mexican men, who expressed concern over colonoscopies being potentially transformative and/or stigmatizing, but was not as salient for Hispanos, who viewed the colonoscopy as “strictly medical” and were more concerned with discomfort and pain. This study highlights the importance of identifying varying characteristics among subpopulations to better understand screening barriers and provide optimal CRC screening counseling in primary care settings.
screening and prevention ethnicity rural masculinity remote Hispanic people health care primary migrants Latino health behavior cancer health care immigrants

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