Approaching religious fatalism in cancer screening education.

Abstract

Religious fatalism has for decades been pointed out as a barrier to cancer screening attendance and several studies suggest interventions to decrease fatalism, given its negative impact on the uptake of cancer screening. Our objective in this interdisciplinary exploration on religious fatalism in the context of cancer screening is to contribute to the increasing academic discussion on religious fatalism and cancer screening as well as the broader context of the intersection of religion and bioethics. Through an analysis of religious fatalism in light of the notion of rationality and images of God, we find resources and suggest trajectories for a more seriously and constructively approach to religious fatalism in cancer education. Our main thesis is that interventions do not necessarily have to decrease religious fatalism to increase screening.