Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 713-721

Cultural Beliefs and Understandings of Cervical Cancer Among Mexican Immigrant Women in Southeast Georgia (Article)

Luque J.S.* , Tarasenko Y.N. , Maupin J.N. , Alfonso M.L. , Watson L.C. , Reyes-Garcia C. , Ferris D.G.
  • a Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Hendricks Hall, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States
  • b Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Hendricks Hall, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States
  • c School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
  • d Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Hendricks Hall, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States
  • e Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Hendricks Hall, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States
  • f Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8015, Hendricks Hall, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States
  • g GRU Cancer Center, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, United States

Abstract

Rural Mexican immigrant women in the U.S. are infrequently screened and experience health disparities from cervical cancer. We explored cancer-related cultural beliefs in this population. We administered a cross-sectional survey to 39 Mexican immigrant women due for screening. We conducted univariate and bivariate analyses of participants’ characteristics, Pap test history, cancer-related knowledge and beliefs, and cultural consensus analysis about causes of cervical cancer and barriers to screening. For all the cultural consensus tasks, there was consensus (Eigenratios >3:1) among survey participants. Comparing the rankings of risk factor clusters, clusters related to sexual behaviors were ranked more severely than clusters related to genetic or other behavioral factors. There was agreement on ideas of cervical cancer causation and barriers to screening among these women. Hence, improved methods of disseminating important health information and greater access to care are needed, particularly in relationship to stigma about sex and birth control practices. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Cervical cancer Immigrant Hispanics/Latinos Cancer screening cultural consensus

Index Keywords

human middle aged Georgia ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant Humans Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor Risk Factors questionnaire Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice adult Uterine Cervical Neoplasms uterine cervix tumor Mexican Americans attitude to health Mexican American
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930081294&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0117-5&partnerID=40&md5=5daf1a70e35008efc06d5c8808ac0e99
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0117-5
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 12
Original Language: English