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Gender, Social Ties, and Cancer Screening Among Elderly Persons
Stephanie L. McFall, PhD1*
and
Marivel Davila, MPH2
1 University of Texas SChool of Publich Health, San Antonio Regional Campus
2 University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: stephanie.l.mccfall{at}uth.tmc.edu.
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Abstract |
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Objective: This study examines the association of social ties and cancer screening. Method: Data from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II include 4,419 respondents (70 to 85) who completed Wave 2. The dependent variable is receipt of screening within the past 2 years, measured at Wave 2. Social network variables include marital status, interaction with friends, relatives, and children, and church attendance. Results: Women were higher on most social tie measures, except marriage, and less likely to have mammography than men were to have prostate cancer screening. Also, the decline of screening with age was greater for women. For women, screening was related to contact with friends, relatives, and children but not marital status or church attendance. For men, screening was higher in the married and church attendees, but contact with friends, relatives, and children was not associated with screening. Discussion: Cancer screening interventions that use interpersonal communication channels should target distinct relationships for older women and men.
First published on September 24, 2008, doi:10.1177/0898264308324682
Journal of Aging and Health 2008;20:997.
A more recent version of this article appeared on December 1, 2008

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