Embedded mistrust then and now: findings of a focus group study on African American perspectives on breast cancer and its treatment

“For lack of knowledge, our people will perish”: Using focus group methodology to explore African-American communities' perceptions of breast cancer and the environment

“…The four themes that emerged from the qualitative data analysis illustrated the depth of knowledge the participants possessed about breast cancer and environmental risk factors, as well as their concerns about the importance of possessing accurate knowledge, and how culturally appropriate health communication strategies can be used to disseminate knowledge in the community. Participants’ general knowledge and perceptions about breast cancer risk (e.g., heredity/genetics, myths, and treatment/diagnosis) was consistent with previous literature (Ferrera, Feinstein, Walker, & Gehlert, 2016; Jones, 2015; Mosavel & Ports, 2015; Passmore, Williams-Parry, Casper, & Thomas, 2017). For example, participants’ narratives illustrated how their culturally situated beliefs about medical establishments had the potential to affect their health seeking behavior as it relates to breast cancer (Ferrera et al, 2016).…”

Communicating with Daughters About Familial Risk of Breast Cancer: Individual, Family, and Provider Influences on Women's Knowledge of Cancer Risk

“…45–47 Underlying this knowledge barrier may be concerns about genetic discrimination and a lack of trust in the medical system—a recurrent theme in the literature on African Americans. 48,49 A lack of provider referrals to genetic services as well as high costs and administrative barriers for these services have been shown to limit young African American breast cancer survivors’ participation in genetic counseling and testing. 50,51…”

Vaccines, polarising divides and the role of public health

“…What kinds of people are more likely to avoid vaccines, and what might be driving that. For example, structural barriers to trust in the health system by Black Americans have been identified, a mistrust that is embedded in a collective memory of being 'fooled' by the medical system (Ferrera et al, 2016). But to date, public health advocates have been, at best, complacent about how people who show some concern about vaccines are portrayed in public and social media, if not actually colluding in that portrayal.…”

“…A respectful position of trying to find out what it would take for people who are hesitant about vaccines to trust this technology could be taken. The qualitative experiences of trust and mistrust could become a focus of research (Ferrera et al, 2016).…”