title: Knowledge, attitudes and usage of cancer screening among West African migrant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore West African migrant women's knowledge, attitude and usage of cancer screening in Australia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Despite strong evidence that cancer screening saves lives through early detection and treatment, there is lack of empirical studies on West African migrant women's knowledge, attitude and usage of cancer screening in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative naturalistic inquiry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one West African migrant women who consented to participate in the study were recruited through a snowballing technique. These women were engaged in face-to-face audiotaped in-depth interviews which lasted for about 90 minutes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following three themes emerged from the data: knowledge of cancer screening, attitude towards cancer screening and usage of cancer screening Irrespective of the women's place of birth in Africa, twenty of the participants had no knowledge of cancer screening prior to migration, and most had a negative attitude towards screening. Women who had given birth after migrating to Australia were more likely to have had cervical cancer screening. Women who had passed their child-bearing years or had not presented to healthcare facilities for medical issues were more likely to be unaware of cancer screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved health promotion strategies that provide accessible information and education to West African migrant women regarding cancer screening are required to enhance the uptake of such screening in this migrant group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses who encounter West African migrant women in their day-to-day practice have the opportunity to provide this group with education related to the importance of cancer screening.
authors: School of Nursing and Mmidwifery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. o.ogunsiji@uws.edu.au
authors: Olayide
authors: O
authors: Ogunsiji
authors: Lesley
authors: L
authors: Wilkes
authors: Kath
authors: K
authors: Peters
authors: Debra
authors: D
authors: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*