Beliefs and Attitudes of Ethnic Minority Women Towards Breast Cancer Screening

Women of ethnic minority groups are more affected by breast cancer than others and suffer disproportionately from the burden of the disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of ethnic minority women regarding breast cancer screening and the consequences of breast cancer. Guided by the health belief model (HBM), this ethnographic study examined these issues from the perspective of ethnic minority women, including their perceptions of discrimination and racism in their decisions about breast cancer screening procedures. Data collection was by individual interviews of women from 3 different ethnic groups (16 African American, 16 Asian, and 16 Hispanic women) and from a mixed focus group discussion of all participants ( N = 48). The data were analyzed using codes based on the conceptual framework and an exploratory process of theme identification. Findings revealed multiple barriers to screening for these women, especially a fear of the detection of breast cancer, leading to denial of risk and low screening rate. At the same time, there was a desire for more information about breast cancer and breast cancer screening, and an expressed motivation to get screened based on personal experience with known victims of breast cancer. The recommendation from this research is to improve the provider/patient relationship, and to begin work between healthcare providers, insurance companies, program managers, breast cancer research organizations, and health and social services departments, on eliminating the barriers to breast cancer screening among ethnic minority women.