Health beliefs and practices related to cancer screening among Arab Muslim women in an urban community

Health Care Women Int. 2012;33(1):45-74. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2011.610536.

Abstract

In this exploratory study I investigated the participation status in breast and cervical cancer screening of a group of American immigrant Arab Muslim women (AMW). Perceived knowledge of and barriers to screening participation, relationships among demographic variables, health practice and beliefs, and self-reports of traditionalism and acculturation also are studied. Factors including religious and cultural beliefs, economic concerns, and modesty and embarrassment were considered. To reach the goals of Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010), an effective and meaningful educational initiative to raise awareness about breast and cervical cancer of AMW will require specific interventions consistent with their cultural and religious traditions.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arabs*
  • Attitude to Health / ethnology
  • Breast Neoplasms / ethnology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • Female
  • Focus Groups
  • Health Behavior / ethnology
  • Humans
  • Islam / psychology*
  • Mass Screening / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology*
  • United States
  • Urban Population
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / ethnology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Young Adult