Georgetown University, Cancer Control Program, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
J Natl Med Assoc. 2010 Jun;102(6):461-8. doi: 10.1016/s0027-9684(15)30553-8.
Women from Africa are a fast-growing population group in the United States; however, little is known about their breast cancer outcomes. There is minimal empirical data that describe the cancer practices, beliefs, and needs of African-born women. We conducted 2 focus groups with 20 African women to: (1) explore their knowledge and attitudes about breast cancer practices and (2) identify potential intervention targets. Women were primarily from the western region of Africa (e.g., Nigeria, Ivory Coast), but there were representatives from the southern (e.g., Zimbabwe) and eastern (e.g., Ethiopia) regions as well. Their ages ranged from 21 to 60 years. Insurance coverage varied; 5 were uninsured. Findings indicated that women's knowledge and exposure to breast cancer prevention and screening were limited, and common explanations for breast cancer were that it is a boil or is a punishment from God. Barriers included limited knowledge, lack of insurance, spiritual beliefs, and secrecy. Suggestions for promoting breast health in this community included using culturally relevant materials and involving African men. Findings from this descriptive study provide useful insight to begin to understand the breast health experiences of African immigrant women. Additional research will be useful in developing culturally tailored breast cancer interventions.
非裔美国女性群体增长迅速；然而，有关其乳腺癌预后的信息却很少。现有的描述非洲出生女性癌症实践、信仰和需求的经验数据很少。我们对 20 名非洲女性进行了 2 次焦点小组讨论，以：（1）探讨她们对乳腺癌实践的知识和态度，以及（2）确定潜在的干预目标。女性主要来自非洲西部（如尼日利亚、象牙海岸），但也有南部（如津巴布韦）和东部（如埃塞俄比亚）的代表。她们的年龄从 21 岁到 60 岁不等。保险覆盖范围各不相同；有 5 人没有保险。研究结果表明，女性对乳腺癌预防和筛查的知识和认识有限，常见的乳腺癌解释是乳腺癌是一种疖子或来自上帝的惩罚。障碍包括知识有限、缺乏保险、精神信仰和保密性。在这个社区促进乳房健康的建议包括使用文化相关的材料和让非洲男性参与。这项描述性研究的结果为开始理解非洲移民女性的乳房健康体验提供了有用的见解。进一步的研究将有助于制定针对文化的乳腺癌干预措施。
