Experiences With Cancer Screenings Among Arabic-Speaking Refugee Women

Objective

To explore breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening experiences among Arabic-speaking refugee women in Massachusetts.

Design

Qualitative descriptive.

Setting

The research was conducted in central Massachusetts, an area with a large refugee population from the Middle East. Despite cancer being the leading cause of death among Middle Eastern women aged 40 to 79 years, refugees experience significant disparities in cancer screenings. These refugees often pass through intermediary countries before permanently resettling, leading to preventive care becoming a lower priority as other life stressors take precedence.

Participants

Eleven women participated. Participants had an average age of 47 years; had come from Iraq, Syria, and Egypt; and had been in the United States an average of 7 years.

Methods

In 2022, semistructured individual interviews were conducted in person or via Zoom. An interview guide, constructed based on components of the Health Equity Implementation Science Framework and an expert panel of partners, refugee women, and medical providers, was used. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results

Three themes emerged: Facilitators of Cancer Screening, Barriers to Cancer Screening, and Interpreter-Related Factors. Women positively described providers’ efforts to provide knowledge regarding screenings; however, language barriers, the invasive nature of some screenings, and scheduling appointments for screening posed significant obstacles.

Conclusion

This study highlights the unique health challenges faced by Arabic-speaking refugee women, focusing on their beliefs, experiences in clinical encounters, and communication regarding cancer screenings. Nurses can address these challenges by providing culturally sensitive care and building relationships with community resources.