Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes and screening behaviors among Indian-Australian women

Abstract

Purpose of research: The aims of the study were to report breast cancer screening practices among Indian-Australian women and to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics, cultural beliefs and women's breast cancer screening (BCS) behaviors.

Method: A descriptive and cross-sectional method was used. Two hundred and forty two Indian-Australian women were recruited from several Indian organizations. English versions of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (BCSBQ) were administered. The main research variables are BCS practices, demographic characteristics and total scores on each of the BCSBQ subscales.

Result: The majority of participants (72.7%-81.4%) had heard of breast awareness, clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammograms. Only 28.9% performed a BSE monthly and although 60% had practiced CBE, only 27.3% of women within the targeted age group had annual CBE. Only 23.6% of women within the targeted age group reported they had a mammogram biennial. Marital status and length of stay in Australia were positively associated with women's screening behaviors. In terms of BCSBQ score, women who had the three screening practices regularly as recommended obtained significantly higher scores on the "attitude towards general health check-ups" and "barriers to mammographic screening" subscales. There was a significant difference in the mean score of the "knowledge and perceptions about breast cancer" between women who did and who did not engage in breast awareness.

Conclusions: Our study reveals that attitudes toward health check-ups and perceived barriers to mammographic screening were influential in determining compliance with breast cancer screening practices among Indian-Australian women.

Keywords: Attitudes; Breast cancer; Indian women; Knowledge; Screening behaviors.