Cancer
Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening Among African Immigrant Women Working in Beauty Salons Rexford Anson-Dwamena* Hadiza Galadima Galadima Old Dominion University
Background: Women employed in beauty salons are at increased risk of breast cancer due to chronic exposure to chemical agents found in hair dyes, bleaches, relaxers, and other salon products. Despite this potential occupational vulnerability, little is known about breast cancer screening (BCS) beliefs and behaviors among African immigrant beauty salon workers. This study assesses knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers toward BCS and examines how subscale scores from the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (BCSBQ) relate to self-examination practices among African immigrant women in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region.
Methods: Convenience sampling and snowball recruitment were used to recruit African immigrant women aged ≥18 years who work in beauty salons across malls, plazas, and independent establishments in the DMV area. Recruitment was supported by partnerships with African community leaders and salon owners, who granted access to workplaces and community spaces for study outreach. Participants completed the validated BCSBQ, which measures three subscales (knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers) rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = completely agree to 5 = completely disagree). Descriptive analyses summarize demographic characteristics and screening behaviors. Further analyses will assess associations between BCSBQ subscores and breast self-examination practices.
Results: Among early respondents (n=27), 66.7% were≥35 years old, 55.5% were married, 50% reported having health insurance, and 94% had lived in the United States for more than 1 year. Although 82.4% indicated that they obtain health information from a personal doctor or healthcare provider, 52.6% had never undergone a breast cancer screening test. Remarkably, about 77.8% reported performing a breast self-examination at least once.
Conclusion: Participant recruitment has been challenging, largely driven by fear of identification and heightened concerns related to current immigration policies. This study fills a critical gap by characterizing screening beliefs and barriers in a high-risk, underserved population.