Middle Eastern Asian Islamic Women and Breast Self-Examination

This exploratory, descriptive research study examined the knowledge and frequency of breast self-examination (BSE) among Middle Eastern Asian Islamic immigrant women residing in a major metropolitan U.S. city. The purposive sample consisted of 39 Middle Eastern Asian Islamic immigrant women ranging in age from 20 to 48 years (mean, 33; SD, 8.29). The sample was recruited from women who attended a local mosque. Data was collected by asking a list of seven questions based on Champion's BSE tool that assessed knowledge and frequency of BSE. Sociodemographic information also was collected. The results indicated that 33 women (85%) had heard of breast self-examination, and 29 women (74%) had not examined their breasts for lumps. None of the participants had examined her breasts monthly for lumps during the past year. Most of the women had not learned about BSE from a health professional, nor had they undergone a clinical breast examination (CBE). The results of this research show that Middle Eastern Asian immigrant women may be a population overlooked by health care professionals in the education of BSE. Suggestions to improve breast cancer screening practices among this population are provided.