Focused interviews with Sudanese Americans: perceptions about diet, nutrition, and cancer.
BACKGROUND
This study explored perceptions regarding diet, nutrition and cancer among Sudanese-Americans; and generated information for response options, components to questions, and actual questions for a pre-conceptualized diet, nutrition and cancer-related questionnaire to be used on this population.


METHODS
In a descriptive, qualitative study, data were collected from four focus group discussions with Sudanese-Americans (N = 18).


RESULTS
Most participants were fearful of cancer, associating it with death. Stress, genetics, and pesticides in vegetables were given as major causes of cancer. Fatalism towards cancer pervaded among a few participants. Male participants did not believe that dietary factors could be helpful in cancer prevention, while the females believed fried, fatty, smoked and fast foods could lead to cancer. Factors perceived as influencing food choices included money, cultural traditions and social class. Cultural tradition was perceived as the major barrier to changing food habits. Frying, stewing, grilling, boiling and fermenting were the most common food preparation methods reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Perceptions regarding dietary practices, nutrition and cancer among Sudanese-Americans, some of which might have been overlooked were identified. The focus groups generated response options, components to questions, and actual questions for a pre-conceptualized diet, nutrition and cancer-related questionnaire to be used on Sudanese-Americans.
Elmubarak
Essam
E
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Tuskegee University, 300-A Campbell Hall, Tuskegee, AL, USA.
Bromfield
Elaine
E
Bovell-Benjamin
Adelia C
AC
D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D009753:Nutritive Value; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States