TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of explanatory models of breast cancer in breast cancer prevention behaviors among Arab-Israeli physicians and laywomen
AU - Soffer, Michal
AU - Cohen, Miri
AU - Azaiza, Faisal
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2020/1/1
Y1 - 2020/1/1
N2 - Background: 'Explanatory Models' (EMs) are frameworks through which individuals and groups understand diseases, are influenced by cultural and religious perceptions of health and illness, and influence both physicians and patients' behaviors. Aims: To examine the role of EMs of illness (cancer-related perceptions) in physicians' and laywomen's behaviors (decision to recommend undergoing regular mammography, adhering to mammography) in the context of a traditional-religious society, that is, the Arab society in Israel. Methods: Two combined samples were drawn: a representative sample of 146 Arab physicians who serve the Arab population and a sample composed of 290 Arab women, aged 50-70 years, representative of the main Arab groups residing in the north and center of Israel (Muslims, Christians) were each randomly sampled (cluster sampling). All respondents completed a closed-ended questionnaire. Results: Women held more cultural cancer-related beliefs and fatalistic beliefs than physicians. Physicians attributed more access barriers to screening as well as fear of radiation to women patients and lower social barriers to screening, compared with the women's community sample. Higher fatalistic beliefs among women hindered the probability of adherence to mammography; physicians with higher fatalistic beliefs were less likely to recommend mammography. Conclusions: The role of cultural perceptions needs to be particularly emphasized. In addition to understanding the patients' perceptions of illness, physicians must also reflect on the social, cultural, and psychological factors that shape their decision to recommend undergoing regular mammography.
AB - Background: 'Explanatory Models' (EMs) are frameworks through which individuals and groups understand diseases, are influenced by cultural and religious perceptions of health and illness, and influence both physicians and patients' behaviors. Aims: To examine the role of EMs of illness (cancer-related perceptions) in physicians' and laywomen's behaviors (decision to recommend undergoing regular mammography, adhering to mammography) in the context of a traditional-religious society, that is, the Arab society in Israel. Methods: Two combined samples were drawn: a representative sample of 146 Arab physicians who serve the Arab population and a sample composed of 290 Arab women, aged 50-70 years, representative of the main Arab groups residing in the north and center of Israel (Muslims, Christians) were each randomly sampled (cluster sampling). All respondents completed a closed-ended questionnaire. Results: Women held more cultural cancer-related beliefs and fatalistic beliefs than physicians. Physicians attributed more access barriers to screening as well as fear of radiation to women patients and lower social barriers to screening, compared with the women's community sample. Higher fatalistic beliefs among women hindered the probability of adherence to mammography; physicians with higher fatalistic beliefs were less likely to recommend mammography. Conclusions: The role of cultural perceptions needs to be particularly emphasized. In addition to understanding the patients' perceptions of illness, physicians must also reflect on the social, cultural, and psychological factors that shape their decision to recommend undergoing regular mammography.
KW - adherence
KW - cancer-related perceptions
KW - explanatory models
KW - mammography
KW - physicians' recommendations
KW - screening
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85095399071&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1463423620000237
DO - 10.1017/S1463423620000237
M3 - Article
C2 - 33140717
AN - SCOPUS:85095399071
VL - 21
JO - Primary Health Care Research and Development
JF - Primary Health Care Research and Development
SN - 1463-4236
M1 - e48
ER -