Abstract P1-11-12: Religion-related factors and breast cancer screening among American Muslims
Authors: Padela Aasim , Murrar S , Mallick S , Hosseinain Z , Liao C , Ajax C , Marfani F , Peek M 
Published: May 2015

Background: Cancer disparities research often overlooks the influence a shared religion may have across race and ethnicity, and thereby misses opportunities to leverage shared religious networks to promote screening. While American Muslims have low rates of mammography and their health behaviors are strongly influenced by religion, a description of such relationships is lacking in the literature. Our study fills this gap.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods exploration of how religion-related factors impact breast cancer screening practices. We sampled an ethnically and racially diverse group of Muslim women frequenting mosques and community sites. A survey incorporated measures of fatalism, religiosity, religious discrimination, and Islamic modesty, while subsequent focus groups elicited perspectives on how religious beliefs, values and identity impact breast cancer screening intentions. Survey analyses involved logistic regression models, while focus groups were analyzed using a team-based framework content analysis approach.

Results: Of 240 survey respondents, 72 were Arabs, 71 S. Asians and 59 African Americans. Seventy-five percent had insurance, while 85% had a PCP. 77% reported ever having a mammogram while only 37% a mammogram within the past 2 years. In multivariate models, positive religious coping (OR= 0.21;P &lt;.05) and perceived religious discrimination in healthcare (OR=0.74;P &lt;.05) were negatively associated with having a mammogram in the past two years, while having a primary care physician (OR=20;P&lt;.01) was positively associated. Ever having a mammogram was positively associated with increasing age (OR=1.1;P&lt;.05), years of US residency (10-20 yrs OR=11; 20 yrs OR=4.3;P&lt;.05) and knowing someone with breast cancer (OR=3.5;P&lt;.01). Importantly, ethnic/racial affiliation did not influence mammography rates.

Of 50 focus group participants there were nearly equal numbers of S. Asians, Arabs, and African Americans, 74% reported ever having a mammogram, with 56% having a mammogram within the past two years. Focus group data revealed that family support and encouragement strongly impacted screening intentions, and that obtaining screening in a way that accommodated notions of religious modesty was paramount and prior experiences with such accommodations influenced subsequent intentions. Focus group participants believed that the mosque is a critical community venue for setting religious mores but is underutilized for health education and for motivating theological responses to illness. Participants expressed the need for mosque administration and religious leaders to openly discuss breast health and mammography screening among the Muslim community.

Conclusions: Aspects of religion appear to influence cancer screening behaviors similarly across the socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial diversity of American Muslims. Promoting biennial mammography screening among American Muslims requires addressing ideas about religious coping as related to preventive cancer screening and empowering women to combat perceived religious discrimination. Mosques are underutilized in breast cancer screening interventions but are a ripe setting for religiously-tailored programming that can address barriers to screening and promote a culture of health in this community.

Citation Format: Aasim Padela, S Murrar, S Mallick, Z Hosseinain, C Liao, C Ajax, F Marfani, M Peek. Religion-related factors and breast cancer screening among American Muslims [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-11-12.