Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Breast cancer screening practices of African migrant women in Australia: a descriptive 
cross -sectional study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 18 Feb 2017  
 
Reviewer: Ikechukwu Iloabachie  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Reviewer 1 raised concern s regarding the consent and ethical conduct of the study. These were 
addressed by adding content to the study. This makes me wonder why this was not included in 
the first write up. In the same vein, it is difficult to understand how one on one explanation to 
participants with difficulties could have been done if the questionnaire wa s mass distributed.  
Paragraph 5 of the background still has sweeping generalisations about African and black 
women based on only one citation. I suggest a revision to present a m ore nuanced discussion.  
The second sentence of the second paragraph in the results section is unclear and probably needs 
rephrasing.  
'Preformed' is used a lot in the tables and I suspect this is a typographical error and should be 
'performed'.  
In the di scussion we have the following;  "This is the first time that we are hearing about this 
alarmingly low monthly attention of African migrant  women to their breast. However, this 
finding is consistent with previous findings of studies among migrant populatio ns reported in 
international literature  [27]. It also echoed the findings of an earlier study of Indian -Australians 
[17]" I think the first sentence is not supported by the following ones.  
The word alarming or forms of it as used are a bit emotive and cou ld be omitted especially when 
all the screening practices are taken into consideration.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported  by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please spec ify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Pleas e complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publicatio n of this  
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financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently  applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any othe r financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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