Addressing most cancers screening behaviors within the Muslim neighborhood in Washington

A research has revealed insights into the most cancers screening behaviors of Muslims within the Washington, D.C., space, highlighting the affect of cultural and non secular beliefs on well being practices. The research, carried out in collaboration with key religion leaders from 4 mosques within the area, underscores the necessity for culturally and religiously delicate well being initiatives to enhance most cancers screening charges amongst Muslims.

The findings had been revealed within the Journal of Most cancers Schooling.

The Washington, D.C., metropolitan space, which incorporates components of Virginia and Maryland (DMV), is residence to one of many largest and most numerous Muslim communities in america. Regardless of this, most cancers screening behaviors inside this neighborhood stay under-researched. To handle this hole, a complete wants evaluation was carried out with 203 contributors recruited via neighborhood outreach and engagement efforts. This collaborative strategy ensured that the questions posed had been each religiously and culturally delicate.

Key findings from the research embrace an general decrease price of screening among the many Muslim inhabitants surveyed than within the DMV:

• Colorectal most cancers screenings: 35% of each women and men reported receiving a screening for colorectal most cancers with colonoscopy, a a lot decrease price than general within the DMV space (DC: 82%; Virginia: 67.6%; and Maryland: 72.5%);
• Mammogram Screenings: 56% of ladies surveyed reported receiving a mammogram screening, a a lot decrease price than general within the DMV (D.C.: 80%; Virginia: 76.2%; and Maryland: 81.2%);
• Prostate most cancers screenings: 45% of males reported receiving a prostate most cancers antigen check (the next price than general in D.C., however decrease than in Virginia and Maryland); and
• Cervical most cancers screenings: 83% of ladies reported receiving screening for cervical most cancers (corresponding to the general price within the DMV).

The research additionally revealed that many contributors relied on their religion to information their most cancers screening choices. Ladies had been extra possible than males to depend on their religion when coping with well being considerations.

“Findings from our research spotlight that non secular and cultural beliefs could play a job in influencing well being behaviors; nonetheless, to raised perceive these roles, we have to proceed to interact with the Muslim neighborhood within the DMV space with the intention to create an avenue for offering well being training in a religiously and culturally delicate manner,” stated Aisha Choudhri, MPH, CHES, neighborhood well being educator on the Ralph Lauren Heart for Most cancers Prevention at Georgetown College’s Lombardi Complete Most cancers Heart in Washington.

Members expressed a robust curiosity in having well being initiatives associated to most cancers training, screening and survivorship built-in inside mosques. This choice means that mosques might function important facilities for well being training and intervention, leveraging the belief and affect of religion leaders to advertise higher well being outcomes.

The research’s findings emphasize the necessity for ongoing engagement with key religion leaders to successfully leverage non secular beliefs in selling well being training and most cancers screening. By understanding the non secular and non secular underpinnings that drive or inhibit health-seeking behaviors, well being care suppliers can tailor their approaches to raised meet the wants of the Muslim neighborhood.

Because the Muslim inhabitants within the U.S. is anticipated to develop considerably within the coming many years, addressing well being care disparities and making certain culturally and religiously delicate well being care providers will develop into more and more vital.

“In working carefully with the Muslim neighborhood within the DMV space to raised perceive and handle their cancer-related well being wants, we hope these efforts might help inform training and outreach about well being, prevention and most cancers screening practices to broader communities all through the U.S.,” Choudhri stated.