Being within or being between? The cultural context of Arab women's experience of coping with breast cancer in Israel

Goldblatt, Hadass; Cohen, Miri; Azaiza, Faisal; Manassa, Rimon

doi:10.1002/pon.3078

Cited by 51 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…However, Muslim women wearing the hijab faced additional challenges of tangible discrimination and abuse in employment and public spaces. This supports previous findings highlighting the unique forms of discrimination that Muslim immigrant women face at the intersection of religion, race and gender [39, 40]. The stereotypical beliefs about Muslims being sympathetic to terrorism and hence potential threats to national security as well as the hijab being viewed as a symbol of woman’s subservience to male oppression, and a sign of docility and powerlessness can contribute to Muslim women’s feeling of alienation and exclusion.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…We found that religious and cultural beliefs affected women’s views on cancer (seeing it as a “death sentence”), willingness to disclose family history of cancer, emphasis on treatment rather than prevention, which has been reported in other studies [40–46], and cultural taboo surrounding female sexuality and sexual activity. Most cases of cancer that women narrated ended in demise and the occurrence of survival was almost nominal.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

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Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada

2016

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BackgroundCanada has observed significant decreases in incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in recent decades, and this has been attributed to appropriate screening (i.e., the Pap test). However, certain subgroups including Muslim immigrants show higher rates of cervical cancer mortality despite their lower incidence. Low levels of screening have been attributed to such barriers as lack of a family physician, inconvenient clinic hours, having a male physician, and cultural barriers (e.g., modesty, language). HPV self –sampling helps to alleviate many of these barriers. However, little is known about the acceptability of this evidence-based strategy among Muslim women. This study explored Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and the acceptability of HPV self-sampling.MethodsAn exploratory community-based mixed methods design was used. A convenience sample of 30 women was recruited over a 3-month period (June–August 2015) in the Greater Toronto Area. All were between 21 and 69 years old, foreign-born, self-identified as Muslim, and had good knowledge of English. Data were collected through focus groups.ResultsThis study provides critical insights about the importance of religious and cultural beliefs in shaping the daily and health care experiences of Muslim women and their cancer screening decisions. Our study showed the deterring impact of beliefs and health practices in home countries on Muslim immigrant women’s utilization of screening services. Limited knowledge about cervical cancer and screening guidelines and need for provision of culturally appropriate sexual health information were emphasized. The results revealed that HPV self-sampling provides a favorable alternative model of care to the traditional provider-administered Pap testing for this population.ConclusionTo enhance Muslim immigrant women screening uptake, efforts should made to increase 1) their knowledge of the Canadian health care system and preventive services at the time of entry to Canada, and 2) access to culturally sensitive education programs, female health professionals, and alternative modes of screening like HPV self-sampling. Health professionals need to take an active role in offering screening during health encounters, be educated about sexual health communication with minority women, and be aware of the detrimental impact of preconceived assumptions about sexual activity of Muslim women.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada

2016

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“…The cultural expectations of marriage, childbearing, and nurturing relates to the significance of the breast for women (Goldblatt, Cohen, Azaiza, & Manassa, 2012) and could be a source of anxiety for a younger woman with breast cancer, especially those who were not married or were childless at the time of diagnosis. Perhaps the infusion of foreign culture where marriage and childbearing are not a priority could minimize the level of anxiety where such cultural expectations predominate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Factors Influencing Treatment Decisions in Ghana

Aziato

Clegg‐Lamptey

2014

Health Care for Women International

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Researchers in this study explored the reactions of women with breast cancer and identified factors influencing treatment decisions. A qualitative exploratory approach was employed. Participants were recruited from a tertiary hospital and a breast cancer support group. Purposive sampling recruited 12 women. It was found that women identified breast lesions accidentally or intentionally and that diagnosis was delayed. Emotional reactions to diagnosis included shock and sadness. Factors that influenced treatment were the influence of other people, alternative sources of treatment, faith and support, knowledge, "tuning the mind," and effects on intimacy. Health professionals should develop effective communication and counseling skills for clients.

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“…Research has shown that younger women often demonstrate poorer psychosocial adjustment during and following breast cancer treatment (Ahmad, Fergus, & McCarthy, 2015; and express an unmet need of professional and emotional support when communicating their cancer diagnosis to their children . However, this may also reflect the perception of the woman as the pillar of the home, strong and available for family members to the detriment of her own needs and difficulties, as shown by Goldblatt, Cohenz, Azaiza, and Manassa (2013) when exploring how Arabic women living in Israel experience and cope with breast cancer.…”

Section: Staying In Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

On a journey for survival : everyday life during radiation therapy from the perspectives of women with breast cancer and their families

Holst-Hansson¹

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To everyone who has believed in me Vi människor är sociala varelser. Vi kommer till denna värld som ett resultat av andras handlingar. För vår överlevnad är vi ömsesidigt beroende av varandra. Vare sig vi vill eller inte finns det inte en enda stund i livet då vi inte drar nytta av sådant som andra har gjort eller gör. Det är därför knappast förvånande att det mesta av vår lycka uppstår i relationer med andra. Inte heller är det anmärkningsvärt om vår största glädje uppstår när vi motiveras av omsorg om andra. Men det är mera än så. Allt tyder på att altruistiska handlingar inte bara skapar lycka, utan att de också minskar vår upplevelse av lidande. Vårt beteende mot andra blir automatiskt positivt när vi handlar av omsorg mot dem. Det är för att vi inte har plats för några misstankar när hjärtat är fyllt av kärlek. Det är som en inre dörr öppnas och låter oss komma ut. ABSTRACTThis thesis focuses on women diagnosed with breast cancer and their family members. Since a breast cancer diagnosis and its subsequent treatment are a strenuous experience not only for the woman afflicted but also for her family members, this thesis aimed to explore the experiences of everyday life during radiation therapy from the perspectives of the woman with breast cancer and her family, as well as exploring families' experiences of participating in short family health conversations (SFamHC). All included studies were interview studies (Papers I, II, III & IV), where 30 women (20 in Paper I and 10 in Paper II) with breast cancer, 19 family members including the women with breast cancer (Paper III) and 9 families (Paper IV) were interviewed. The data from the interviews was analysed using qualitative content analysis (Papers I & II), a hermeneutical phenomenological method (Paper III) and thematic analysis (Paper IV).The women's experiences of breathing adapted radiation therapy (BART) (Paper I) were identified in an overall theme, The breath of life, as the women experienced the breathing as a way to influence their treatment and thus their survival. The overall theme could be divided into one main category: Participating in one's treatment, for good or ill, with four subcategories: Knowing one has done something good, Getting an extra bonushealthwise, The experience of being in control and Being in a hightechnology environment.Women born in Iraq and the former Yugoslavia, diagnosed with breast cancer and living in Sweden, experienced their everyday life during radiation therapy as a narrow and challenging treatment road to survival (Paper II). Their experiences were structured into three categories: Strategies for survival, Keeping up appearances and Staying in control. More focus should be on acknowledging the woman behind the diagnosis, regardless of her origin, in order to 10 develop individualised support programmes to help women cope with everyday life during radiation therapy.The families' lived experience when a family member is diagnosed with breast cancer (Paper III) was described as a challenging endeavour to regain an or...

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Being within or being between? The cultural context of Arab women's experience of coping with breast cancer in Israel

Abstract: Healthcare professionals should be aware of the unique implications of cancer in the context of the traditional Arab culture intertwined with modernization processes. This context calls for interventions that consider the understandings depicted in the present study.

Cited by 51 publications

References 47 publications

Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada

Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada

Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Factors Influencing Treatment Decisions in Ghana

On a journey for survival : everyday life during radiation therapy from the perspectives of women with breast cancer and their families

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