Culturally Appropriate Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Messages: Targeting Racially and Ethnically Diverse Mothers

Abstract

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)-funded Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (BCERP) provides evidence-informed educational materials targeting mothers with daughters to help them engage in lifestyle changes to reduce their environmental risk of breast cancer. Building on a partnership we developed to disseminate these materials via social media, we teamed with mommy bloggers and readers to evaluate the cultural appropriateness of the information using evidence-based practices for message design. We sought to (1) identify cross-culture factors that speak to a broad group of mothers and culture-specific factors to integrate when targeting specific cultures and (2) capture cultural challenges mothers encounter when they share the information with family to understand the social context in which they receive, interpret, and act on risk-reducing messages. We conducted 50 interviews with racially and ethnically diverse bloggers/readers and thematically analyzed transcripts, comparing findings across cultures. Across cultures, mothers identified five key factors for ensuring cultural appropriateness, but with notable cultural differences: (1) incorporate diverse images, (2) provide more information specific to environmental and cultural risk, (3) heighten the message of "it's a family affair", (4) make behavioral changes feasible, and (5) use less text, more visuals. Across cultures, women experienced intergenerational communication challenges with family, which were tied to (1) lack of openness, (2) relational norms, and (3) generational resistance. Findings provide message design considerations for targeting mothers broadly or based on race/ethnicity and support the notion that the larger family system should be considered when disseminating cancer risk education.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Culture; Environmental risk; Family communication; Lifestyle changes; Message design; Social media.