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Knowledge Assessment and Screening Barriers for Breast Cancer in an Arab American Community in Dearborn, Michigan

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Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy afflicting women during their lifetime. Screening for breast cancer can reduce mortality through early cancer detection. Lack of knowledge is an important barrier leading to low screening rates. Little research has evaluated breast cancer knowledge and barriers to receiving appropriate screening among Arab Americans. Given that the Arab American population has grown approximately 47% since 2000, this study was designed to assess breast cancer knowledge and screening barriers in an Arab American community. An anonymous survey addressing knowledge assessment and screening for breast cancer was distributed at the Arab Community Center for Economics and Social Services in Dearborn, MI between June 2015 and August 2017. The survey was modified based on a similar study that was conducted Among Adult Saudi women in a primary health care setting. 102 non-BC survivors, 48 BC survivors and 50 men participated in this study. Gaps in knowledge around the role of age and family history, as well as cancer presentation were noted among the participants. Additionally, 51% of non-BC survivors over the age of 40 years have not had a screening mammogram in the past 2 years with leading causes being absence of symptoms, lack of health insurance, and absence of family history. Healthcare providers and community organizations should work towards increasing knowledge levels, reducing misconceptions and improving screening rates for breast cancer among Arab Americans. Increasing community outreach and education and navigating the community’s health beliefs and practices can optimize the process of information delivery to community members.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Hoda Eldaou, Ghada Aziz, Suhir Abdulghafoor and Mona Alanazi from ACCESS for helping with data collection. We would also like to thank Dr. Anne Blackwood-Chirchir for providing feedback during the survey development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Mariam Ayyash, Marwa Ayyash & Sheena Bahroloomi

  2. Arab Community Center for Economics and Social Services, ACCESS, Dearborn, MI, USA

    Hiam Hamade & Mona Makki

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Samar Hassouneh

  4. Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Office for Health Equity and Inclusion, University of Michigan Medical School, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, M7330 Medical Science Building 1, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    R. Alexander Blackwood

  5. Arab American Health Initiative, Dearborn, MI, 48126, USA

    Mariam Ayyash, Marwa Ayyash & R. Alexander Blackwood

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  1. Mariam Ayyash
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  2. Marwa Ayyash
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  3. Sheena Bahroloomi
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  4. Hiam Hamade
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  5. Mona Makki
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  6. Samar Hassouneh
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  7. R. Alexander Blackwood
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Alexander Blackwood.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Ayyash, M., Ayyash, M., Bahroloomi, S. et al. Knowledge Assessment and Screening Barriers for Breast Cancer in an Arab American Community in Dearborn, Michigan. J Community Health 44, 988–997 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-019-00671-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-019-00671-4

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