JINGJING SHANG, MSN

Pre-Doctoral Fellow
Health Disparities of Underserved Populations

Faculty Advisor:
Victoria Mock, DNSc, AOCN, FAAN
Professor and Director of the Center for Nursing Research

Dissertation Focus:

Cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian American women. Among Chinese women in the United States, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death.

Breast cancer screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality effectively. American Cancer Society has set up screening guidelines for early detection of breast cancer. However, compared with other ethnical groups, Asian Americans women are much less likely to go for breast cancer screening. According to National Center for Health Statistics in 2000, only 57% of Asian American women had mammogram within the past two years, compared with 72.1% in White (non-Hispanic), 68.2% in African American (non-Hispanic), and 62.6% in Hispanic/Latino. Therefore, finding the factors which influence the breast cancer screening behavior in Chinese American women is significant to reduce this health disparity, improve Chinese American women’s health.

My long-term goal is to set up a breast cancer and breast cancer screening program in great Philadelphia area to motivate Chinese American women go for breast cancer screening, reduce breast cancer caused death. The first study of its program is to find the factors which prevent Chinese American women from going for breast cancer screening. Some researches have been done in other areas which showed some inconsistent results.

In order to find out exactly what cause this health behavior disparity, a mail survey written in Chinese will be sent out in the randomly selected Chinese American women who are 20 years and over in great Philadelphia area. Questions regarding their knowledge of breast cancer and breast cancer screening, perceived barriers to breast cancer screening, health related cultural belief, and the frequency of taking breast cancer screening (including breast self examination, clinical breast examination, and mammogram) will be asked in the survey along with their demographic and social-economical information.

By Analyzing data to find the statistically significant correlation between the variables, important factors will be discovered which impact Chinese American women’s breast cancer screening behavior and applied to practice in order to motivate Chinese American women to take breast cancer screen, reduce the health disparity, and improve the health of Chinese American women.

Publications:
Shang, J (1996). the Adverse Effects of Corticosteriods and Nursing Care for Patients Using Corticosteriods, Nursing Fascicle of Foreign Medical, 2(15) 78-79.

Presentations:
Plowfield, Raymond, Taylor, Shang, & Hershey (2001). Caring for Older Delawareans: An Education Centered Approach, Regional Nursing Centers Consortium Spring Convention, Philadelphia, PA, April, 2001. (Plowfield & Raymond presented.)

Honors and Awards:
Shang, J (1998). the Psychological Problems and Nursing of Patients in Isolation Ward, Nursing essay contest of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences