Fatalism or destiny? A qualitative study and interpretative framework on Dominican women's breast cancer beliefs.
BACKGROUND
A growing literature on Latino's beliefs about cancer focuses on the concept of fatalismo (fatalism), despite numerous conceptual ambiguities concerning its meaning, definition, and measurement. This study explored Latina women's views on breast cancer and screening within a cultural framework of destino ("destiny"), or the notion that both personal agency and external forces can influence health and life events.


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Latinas from the Dominican Republic aged 40 or over.


RESULTS
Respondents reported complex notions of health locus of control that encompassed both internal (e.g., individual action) and external (e.g., the will of God) forces shaping breast cancer prevention efforts. Furthermore, women actively participated in screening because they believed that cancer could become a death sentence if diagnosed late or left untreated.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to simplistic notions of "fatalism", our analysis suggests complex strategies and beliefs regarding breast cancer and cancer screening that speak of resiliency rather than hopelessness.
Flórez
Karen R
KR
Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street, 5th floor, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Aguirre
Alejandra N
AN
Viladrich
Anahí
A
Céspedes
Amarilis
A
De La Cruz
Ana Alicia
AA
Abraído-Lanza
Ana F
AF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004293:Dominican Republic / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D029181:Spirituality; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology