Study urges culturally apt breast cancer programmes

Reuters/IslamabadCulturally appropriate breast cancer intervention programmes should be created to fight the disease right from the early stage, a recent study published by some  researchers from Qatar has suggested.There should also be increased awareness about breast cancer, breast cancer screening and the benefits of early detection of breast cancer, according to the study published in biomedicentral.com, a health related journal.The group of researchers was led by Tam Truong Donnelly from University of Calgary in Qatar. The members were Al-Hareth al-Khater, Salha Bujassoum al-Bader, Mohamed Ghaith al-Kuwari, Nabila al-Meer, Mariam Malik, Rajvir Singh, Sofia Chaudhry and Tak Fung representing Hamad Medical Corporation, Aspetar, Primary Healthcare Corporation and University of Calgary.The study found out that low levels of awareness and low participation rates in breast cancer screening are the major problems. The main reasons for not planning breast cancer screening were lack of a doctor’s recommendation, fear, and embarrassment.According to the study, public educational campaigns should be more inclusive of groups or individuals with lower levels of education. Educational materials should be published in languages that women in Qatar can understand. The literature should clearly point out that survival rates and treatment options can be increased with early diagnosis.Many women in Qatar go to see doctors at community health clinics only when they or their family members are ill. Therefore physician-initiated discussions about breast cancer screening are essential during these visits as it might be the only opportunity for such women to be educated about breast cancer.Modesty and embarrassment clearly hinder some women from having their breasts examined by healthcare professionals, especially by males or causes them to seek care only when symptoms worsen. Since Qatar provides gender appropriate healthcare professionals in most hospitals and health centres, such concerns can easily be overcome with greater awareness.One quarter of the participants in the survey stated that their doctors talked to them about breast cancer, and less than half of the women interviewed believed breast cancer can be prevented. Women who engaged in breast cancer screening were more likely to have a doctor who talked to them about the disease.The study suggests that various channels such as healthcare providers, media, breast cancer survivors and community leaders should be used for  breast cancer awareness as well as the benefits of its early detection. It claims that these measures will reduce breast cancer mortality rates among Arabic-speaking women living in Qatar. The study was based on the previous studies which indicated the need to better understand complex beliefs, values, and attitudes that influence Arab women’s health.  The studies also stressed the need for development of culturally appropriate and effective intervention strategies to address breast cancer in the Middle East. The multicentre, cross-sectional quantitative survey of 1,063 Arabic-speaking female Qatari citizens and non-Qatari residents of 35 years and above, was conducted in Qatar from March 2011 to July 2011. The full report can be accessed at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6874/13/49