TY - JOUR
T1 - Sister, Give Me Your Hand
T2 - a Qualitative Focus Group Study on Beliefs and Barriers to Mammography Screening in Black Women During the COVID-19 Era
AU - Bea, Vivian J.
AU - Jerome-D’Emilia, Bonnie
AU - Antoine, Francesse
AU - Wiggins, Plyshette
AU - Hyman, Diane
AU - Robles-Rodriguez, Evelyn
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the American Cancer Society and Pfizer (Grant number 203239-02). Vivian J. Bea and Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez has received research support from the American Cancer Society and Pfizer. Funding Information: Vivian J. Bea has received funding from the American Cancer Society and Pfizer. Bonnie Jerome-D’Emilia, Francesse Antoine, Plyshett Wiggins, and Diane Hyman declare no competing interests. Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez receives funding from the American Cancer Society and Pfizer. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Aims/Purpose: To evaluate current day challenges and beliefs about breast cancer screening for Black women in two diverse northeast communities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the USA. Although Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they suffer a higher mortality. Early detection of breast cancer can be accomplished through routine screening mammography, yet the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mammography screening barriers and perception in minority communities is uncertain. Methods: Five focus group interviews were conducted as the first phase of a mixed method study across two heterogeneously diverse locations, Camden, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York. Results: Thirty-three women participated in this study; sixteen women were recruited at the New Jersey location and seventeen at the New York location. Only two thirds of the women stated that they had received a mammogram within the last 2 years. The major themes were binary: I get screened or I do not get screened. Subthemes were categorized as patient related or system related. Conclusions: Our findings on factors that affect breast cancer screening decisions during the COVID-19 era include barriers that are related to poverty and insurance status, as well as those that are related to medical mistrust and negative healthcare experiences. Community outreach efforts should concentrate on building trust, providing equitable digital access, and skillfully addressing breast health perceptions.
AB - Aims/Purpose: To evaluate current day challenges and beliefs about breast cancer screening for Black women in two diverse northeast communities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the USA. Although Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they suffer a higher mortality. Early detection of breast cancer can be accomplished through routine screening mammography, yet the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mammography screening barriers and perception in minority communities is uncertain. Methods: Five focus group interviews were conducted as the first phase of a mixed method study across two heterogeneously diverse locations, Camden, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York. Results: Thirty-three women participated in this study; sixteen women were recruited at the New Jersey location and seventeen at the New York location. Only two thirds of the women stated that they had received a mammogram within the last 2 years. The major themes were binary: I get screened or I do not get screened. Subthemes were categorized as patient related or system related. Conclusions: Our findings on factors that affect breast cancer screening decisions during the COVID-19 era include barriers that are related to poverty and insurance status, as well as those that are related to medical mistrust and negative healthcare experiences. Community outreach efforts should concentrate on building trust, providing equitable digital access, and skillfully addressing breast health perceptions.
KW - African American women
KW - Black women
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Breast cancer screening
KW - Breast cancer screening barriers
KW - Breast disparities
KW - Breast health
KW - COVID-19 era
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - Cancer prevention
KW - Disparities
KW - Focus groups
KW - Mammography screening
KW - Social determinants of health
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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01332-4
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01332-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 35731462
SN - 2197-3792
VL - 10
SP - 1466
EP - 1477
JO - Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
JF - Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
IS - 3
ER -