Examination of Breast Cancer Screening Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs among Syrian Refugee Women in a Western Canadian Province.
Louise Racine, Isil Andsoy, Sithokozile Maposa and 2 others
PMID 34038264WHAT IT FOUND
Among 75 Syrian refugee women, 96% had heard of breast self-examination, but only 32% had done it, 12% had a clinical breast exam, and 6.7% had mammography.
Knowledge was moderate.
Key findings
01Most women had heard about breast self-examination, but few had performed it or had clinical screening: 96% had heard, 32% performed BSE, 12% had CBE, and 6.7% had mammography.
02Average breast cancer knowledge was 10.57 on a 0 to 19 point scale, which the paper classifies as medium knowledge.
03Having information about breast self-examination was associated with performing it, while higher perceived barriers were associated with not performing it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample of 75 women from two settlement agencies, so the results may not apply to other refugee women. Nearly 50% had elementary education and all were unemployed, so it says little about more educated or employed Muslim women. The study measured beliefs and screening practices at one time, so it cannot show what caused low screening. Mammography was reported by only 5 women, so mammography findings are based on very few events. The study did not test whether education, community partnership, or religious-based interventions improve screening.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. Funding was from Sigma Theta Tau International and the Canadian Nurses' Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as proof that education or belief change will increase screening. The study used a convenience sample of 75 women and measured beliefs and practices at one time, so it cannot show cause.