Screening and Early Detection of Breast Cancer among Muslim Immigrant Women: Differences among Ethnic Groups

Muslim immigrant women often present at late stages of breast cancer diagnosis and few studies have explored factors associated with this diverse population's screening behavior. This research investigates and compares the effect of knowledge and personal and religious attitudes on breast cancer screening among subgroups of Muslim immigrant women in southern California. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey, a convenience sample of 632 Muslim women (40 years or older of Arab, Iranian, South Asian, or African American descent) was selected. The women completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed breast cancer screening knowledge, personal and religious attitudes, and socio-demographic characteristics. The main outcome variable is previous breast screening and future intention to screen. Results: As compared to Iranians, Arabs were less likely to get screened, while African Americans and Asians were more likely. Knowledge explained screening probabilities across all subgroups. Poorer personal attitude was associated with lower probabilities of getting screening, but was only significant for Iranian women (P-value=0.02). Religious attitude influenced getting screening (although not significant) for Iranian, African American, and Asian women, but had no observable effect for Arab women (P-value=0.08). For intention to screen, knowledge did not play an important role. Personal attitude was only significant for Iranians (P-value <0.001). Religious attitude affected intention to screen for Iranian (P-Value <0.001) and African American women (P-value=0.04). Conclusion: These results highlight that Muslim subgroups cannot be considered homogenous. It is essential to address culturally and ethnic group specific attitudes when formulating interventions to improve breast cancer screening among immigrant Muslim women.