Abstract
Although regular cervical cancer screening can prevent cervical cancer, screening utilization remains low among immigrant population including sub-Saharan African immigrants (SAIs). Acculturation is a complex process, which can lead to adoption of positive or negative health behaviors from the dominant culture. Acculturation strategies are the varying ways in which individuals seek to go about their acculturation by either maintaining or rejecting their own cultural values ip or accepting or rejecting the host culture’s cultural values. Cervical cancer screening behaviors among SAI women may be influenced by their acculturation strategies. We conducted a secondary analysis of data to examine the relationship between acculturation strategies and Pap screening among 99 SAI women recruited from community settings. Data were collected on Pap screening behavior and acculturation strategy. Traditionalists and Integrationists were the dominant acculturation strategies; 32.3% women were Traditionalists and 67.7% Integrationists. From the logistic regression models, Integrationists had seven times the odds of having ever been screened compared to Traditionalists (OR = 7.08, 95% CI = 1.54–28.91). Cervical cancer screening interventions should prioritize Traditionalists for cancer screening. Acculturation strategies may be used to tailor cancer prevention and control for SAIs. More research among a larger SAI women sample is warranted to further our understanding of Pap screening patterns and acculturation strategies.
Highlights
Cervical cancer is a universal health concern that is treatable if detected early by screening [1]
The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation strategies and Pap screening among Saharan African immigrants (SAIs) women
Our study contributes to the literature by examining associations between acculturation strategies and Pap screening among SAI women
Summary
Cervical cancer is a universal health concern that is treatable if detected early by screening [1]. Racial and ethnic minority women in the United States (U.S.) experience higher risk of cervical cancer compared to other women [2,3,4], which leads to significantly higher incidence and mortality rates [5,6,7,8]. Racial and ethnic groups disparities for cervical cancer exist largely because of low socioeconomic status that lead to differences in exposures to risk factors, barriers to high-quality cancer prevention and control, early detection, and treatment [10]. Studies have shown that limited knowledge, fear of screening result, short duration of residence in the U.S, embarrassment, cultural, and religious factors (e.g., fatalism, religiosity etc.) [12,13] are barriers to cervical cancer screening uptake
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