Awareness of Genetic Testing for Cancer among United States Hispanics: The Role of Acculturation

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine how acculturation affected awareness of genetic testing for cancer among Hispanic Americans. Methods: Subjects were 10,883 Hispanic respondents from the 2000 and 2005 National Health Interview Surveys. Acculturation was measured with language use and the length of time subjects had lived in the US. Weighted logistic regression was used to determine subjects’ awareness of genetic susceptibility testing. Results: Greater use of English (adjusted odds ratio, OR = 1.25, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.15–1.36) was associated with increased awareness of genetic testing. Residence in the US for less than 5 years (adjusted OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.83) was associated with lower awareness of testing. Conclusions: To better inform diverse American groups about genetic testing, intercultural variations and language skills must be taken into account.