Knowledge of uterine fibroid symptoms and presentation among African-American women: A pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To assess awareness and knowledge of fibroid symptoms and presentation among African- American women. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional survey study completed by a convenience sample of African- American women attending a community fair. Questions covered demographics, medical history, technology use, and fibroid knowledge. A total of 437 surveys were distributed, 320 were returned, and 199 met eligibility criteria. RESULTS: Participants’ mean age was 48.8 ± 12.9 years. Of them, 65.8% lacked college degrees and 43.2% had annual household incomes of < $25,000. The prevalence of inadequate health literacy was 14.1%. Most knew that fibroids are more common in African- American women (74.9%), can cause menorrhagia (80.9%), and can increase odds of miscarriage (74.4%). Many thought that fibroids are cancerous (47.2%), increase the risk of heart disease (32.7%), or are diagnosable via blood test (46.2%). Internet usage and education had highest correlations with fibroid awareness. Health literacy status showed no significant correlation with cumulative fibroid knowledge. CONCLUSION: African- American women’s knowledge of the symptoms of fibroids is intact; however, they are less familiar with the systemic impact of the tumors. Additional research is needed to further assess women’s knowledge of fibroids and to develop interventions for patient education.