Barriers to cervical cancer screening: A qualitative study among Somali women in Oslo Norway

Addawe, Mohammed-nur A.; Mburu, Christina Brux; Madar, Ahmed A.

doi:10.15761/hpc.1000128

Cited by 9 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…As reported previously, only a minority had encountered a degree of unpleasantness or physical pain during screening [ 40 , 42 ]; however, a woman’s screening experience is crucial in determining the likelihood that she will return for the next appointment [ 43 , 44 ], and this was expressed by some of the women in our study. In contrast to earlier findings [ 49 , 51 , 54 , 69 ], although all the women in our study were Christians and from different cultural backgrounds, issues related to religious background and ethnicity were not particularly prominent factors to screening participation; instead, most women had positive attitudes towards screening.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…The most commonly mentioned barriers were related to language difficulties and misunderstanding of the invitation letters’ contents, again consistent with previous findings [ 33 , 40 , 45 , 52 , 54 , 63 ]. In Finland, at the time of this study, the invitation letter is written in both official Finnish languages (Finnish/Swedish); this explains the women’s difficulties in reading and understanding the screening information.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…The barriers raised by the majority of the women and the fact they frequently suggested that the information in the screening invitations should be written in a language they understand (English) accords with earlier international studies [ 45 , 54 ]. In our study, these women comprehend English since it is the official language in their countries of origin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several individual-related barriers to CCS participation have been identified, e.g., unmarried, unemployed, illiteracy/lower education level, and language difficulties [ 27 , 31 , 33 , 35 , 37 , 40 ]; women’s lack of knowledge/awareness of cancer/risk factors or screening practices, unpleasant experiences of screening such as pain, embarrassment, and obesity [ 34 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]; and advanced age and no history of pregnancy or birth [ 27 , 30 , 33 , 47 , 48 ]. Other factors have been considered, such as migration-related issues in the host country [ 31 , 33 , 35 , 49 ], women’s fear of cancer or test results, and cultural and religious beliefs [ 43 , 45 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. System-related barriers include mistrust of healthcare authorities, inaccessibility to healthcare or/and interpretation services, and concern about the gender of the test-taker [ 40 , 45 , 54 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other factors have been considered, such as migration-related issues in the host country [ 31 , 33 , 35 , 49 ], women’s fear of cancer or test results, and cultural and religious beliefs [ 43 , 45 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. System-related barriers include mistrust of healthcare authorities, inaccessibility to healthcare or/and interpretation services, and concern about the gender of the test-taker [ 40 , 45 , 54 ]. However, gaps in knowledge exist about qualitative studies investigating the factors influencing CCS participation among migrant origin in countries with screening opportunities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Screening among Migrant Women of African Origin: A Qualitative Study in Finland

Idehen

Pietilä

Kangasniemi

2020

IJERPH

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Globally, cervical cancer constitutes a substantial public health concern. Evidence recommends regular cervical cancer screening (CCS) for early detection of “precancerous lesions.”Understanding the factors influencing screening participation among various groups is imperative for improving screening protocols and coverage. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to CCS participation in women of Nigerian, Ghanaian, Cameroonian, and Kenyan origin in Finland. We utilized a qualitative design and conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) in English, with women aged 27–45 years (n = 30). The FGDs were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed utilizing the inductive content analysis approach. The main barriers to CCS participation included limited language proficiency, lack of screening awareness, misunderstanding of screening’s purpose, and miscomprehension of the CCS results. Facilitators were free-of-charge screening, reproductive health services utilization, and women’s understanding of CCS’s importance for early detection of cervical cancer. In conclusion, among women, the main barriers to CCS participation were language difficulties and lack of screening information. Enhancing screening participation amongst these migrant populations would benefit from appropriate information about the CCS. Those women with limited language skills and not utilizing reproductive health services need more attention from healthcare authorities about screening importance. Culturally tailored screening intervention programs might also be helpful.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Screening among Migrant Women of African Origin: A Qualitative Study in Finland

Idehen

Pietilä

Kangasniemi

2020

IJERPH

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Somali’s perceptions, beliefs and barriers toward breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening: a socioecological scoping review

Ali

Ahmad

Morrow

2021

IJMHSC

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Purpose While there is literature that examines factors associated with low participation in cancer screening among Canadian ethnic groups, there is limited understanding of black visible minorities, particularly Somalis. Thus, the purpose of this study is to synthesize knowledge pertaining to the perceptions, beliefs and barriers of Somali women and men toward screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers in countries such as Canada. Design/methodology/approach The scoping review methodology was used to search for peer-reviewed articles that explicitly examined perceptions, beliefs and barriers among Somalis toward screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers in developed countries. The following electronic databases were searched without time frame restrictions, namely, OVID Medline, Embase, CINHAL, PubMed, Scopes and ProQuest. A total of 402 peer-reviewed articles were identified and screened. Three articles were identified through reference list screening (one eligible) and consultation with experts in the networks (two eligible). In total, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria for synthesis. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the selected articles for key themes and the synthesis was informed by the socio-ecological model. Findings The majority of studies originated from the USA and focused primarily on Somali women and cervical cancer screening. Themes that emerged from the literature include individual-level negative experiences and socio-cultural perceptions/beliefs; community-level barriers in cancer screening; and systemic challenges in navigating the health-care system. Many of the studies focused on individual and community-level determinants of cancer screening, with little attention to systemic level determinants. Other gaps identified include factors influencing Somali men’s low participation in cancer screening; limited studies on colorectal cancer and Somali women; and specific cancer-screening barriers faced by Somalis within the Canadian context. Originality/value The findings of the review reveal multiple cancer screening challenges for Somali communities and the gained insights should inform both health and social care practitioners and policymakers.

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The SWIM study: Ethnic minority women's ideas and preferences for a tailored intervention to promote national cancer screening programmes—A qualitative interview study

Tatari

Andersen

Brogaard³

et al. 2021

Health Expectations

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Background Ethnic minority women from non‐Western countries are less likely than the native women to participate in screening programmes for cervical cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. This social inequality can result in loss of possibility for prevention, delayed diagnosis and treatment and, ultimately, lower chance of survival. Developing a tailored intervention might be the solution to reduce social inequalities in cancer screening, and a key feature in intervention research is to consult the target group. Objective To explore ethnic minority women's own ideas and preferences for a cancer screening intervention and identify their attitudes to different strategies. Methods An interview study with five focus group interviews, two group interviews with an interpreter and three individual interviews. Thirty‐seven women from 10 non‐Western countries contributed to the study. The interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim followed by a thematic analysis. Results According to the women, a tailored intervention should focus on knowledge in the form of face‐to‐face teaching. The women further suggested information material in their own language with a simple, positive and concrete communication strategy. They would like to be involved in an awareness strategy and share the knowledge with their network. Conclusion Ethnic minority women were interested in a tailored intervention, and they were keen to contribute with ideas and preferences. The findings emphasized the potential of a tailored intervention with specific suggestions to the content when attempting to reduce inequality in cancer screening participation. Patient or Public Contribution Minority women were involved in the interview study.

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Barriers to cervical cancer screening: A qualitative study among Somali women in Oslo Norway

Abstract: Background: Research findings suggest that immigrant women are less likely to participate in cervical cancer screening. Increased understanding of the barriers confronted and possibilities for facilitating screening participation is needed.

Cited by 9 publications

References 18 publications

Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Screening among Migrant Women of African Origin: A Qualitative Study in Finland

Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Screening among Migrant Women of African Origin: A Qualitative Study in Finland

Somali’s perceptions, beliefs and barriers toward breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening: a socioecological scoping review

The SWIM study: Ethnic minority women's ideas and preferences for a tailored intervention to promote national cancer screening programmes—A qualitative interview study

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