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Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening among refugee women after resettlement: A qualitative study.
- Source :
-
Contemporary nurse [Contemp Nurse] 2020 Aug; Vol. 56 (4), pp. 363-375. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Aug 14. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Background: Cervical cancer screening rates are low among refugee populations who have resettled in Australia, including among Bhutanese women who are at increased risk of cervical cancer. Understanding the barriers to accessing preventive health care is an important starting point to changing health behaviours. Objective: To identify perceived barriers to accessing cervical cancer screening programs among Bhutanese refugee women in Australia. Method: In-depth interviews with 30 Bhutanese refugee women resettled in Melbourne, Australia were analysed using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. Findings: A strong overarching theme was evident; health-seeking behaviour among the Bhutanese refugee women was strongly associated with symptoms and can be described as 'no symptoms- no check-up'. Three major contributors to health behaviour were: poor knowledge, cultural motivations and refugee experience. Poor knowledge was a consequence of low health literacy and lack of information. Cultural motivations included the notion of the sacred body and related stigmas, and strong faith in doctors. A set of latent themes associated with health professional behaviour was also identified in the experiences women recounted: screening was not offered; opportunistic screening occurred without education; and the use of interpreters was inappropriate and involved a mix of failure to use publicly available trained interpreters and informal use of family members. A contrary theme was also evident among younger educated women: changing awareness. Conclusion: Health professionals in the countries of resettlement need greater awareness of the barriers to health-seeking behaviours among refugee populations: cultural influences and norms; poor knowledge of health services and health systems; and poor practice by health professionals.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Australia ethnology
Bhutan ethnology
Early Detection of Cancer statistics & numerical data
Female
Focus Groups
Humans
Mass Screening statistics & numerical data
Middle Aged
Qualitative Research
Refugees statistics & numerical data
Young Adult
Cultural Characteristics
Early Detection of Cancer psychology
Mass Screening psychology
Refugees psychology
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms diagnosis
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ethnology
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1839-3535
- Volume :
- 56
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Contemporary nurse
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32794428
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2020.1806089