Role of acculturation in explaining breast cancer prevention behaviors among immigrant Asian Indian women in the United States

Background: One out of eight Asian Indian women is expected to get breast cancer. Asian women immigrants to the United States have higher breast cancer rates compared to their counterparts in their native countries. Immigrant Indian women have low rates of breast screening practices, and their information needs are not fully met. Risk perception, efficacy, and anxiety generally have been linked to breast cancer prevention behaviors. This project seeks to understand the influence of acculturation on risk, efficacy, and anxiety on breast cancer screening and information seeking practices among immigrant Asian Indian women. Methods:In-person interviews were conducted among a convenient sample of immigrant Indian women (N=413). Average age was 54.2 years (SD=9.4) and average number of years in the US was 20.1 years (SD=11.2). Results: More information was sought by women with greater efficacy (β =0.24, p<.001) and anxiety (β =0.14, p<0.01). Acculturation was a significant predictor of frequency of breast self-exams (β=0.13, p<.05), clinical breast exams (β=0.30, p<.001), and mammography (β=0.34, p<.001). Efficacy also predicted breast self-exams (β=0.35, p<.001) and clinical breast exams (β=0.13, p<0.01). Conclusion: Self-efficacy and acculturation are clearly important constructs for understanding motivations for breast cancer screening among immigrant Asian Indian women. Well-acculturated women with greater efficacy were much more likely to engage in preventive behaviors. Efficacy and anxiety are also important in understanding information-seeking behaviors. Health communication efforts for promoting breast health among immigrants should consider how efficacy can be enhanced, and they need to pay attention to the role of acculturation among immigrants.