title: Understanding Hmong women's beliefs, feelings, norms, and external conditions about breast and cervical cancer screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the beliefs, feelings, norms, and external conditions regarding breast and cervical cancer screening in a sample of Hmong women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a descriptive design, female Hmong researchers recruited 16 Hmong women (ages 24-73) at a community center. Guided by the Theory of Care Seeking Behavior (TCSB), researchers asked participants semi-structured questions about their beliefs, feelings, norms, and external conditions in a group setting. Researchers documented responses in writing and audio recordings. Guided by theory, we used directed content analysis to categorize responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' beliefs' about screening included uncertainty about causes of breast and cervical cancer, uncertainty about Western forms of treatments, and terminal illness as outcomes of such cancer. Many felt embarrassed about breast and cervical cancer screening. Their cultural norms about undressing for an exam and listening to authority figures were different from Western norms. External conditions that influenced participants' for screenings included difficulties in communicating with interpreters and clinicians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with the TCSB, Hmong women's beliefs, affect, cultural norms and external conditions helped to understand their use of breast and cervical screening. Findings could guide nursing and public health interventions to improve culturally sensitive, cancer screening for Hmong women.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Clinical Science Center, School of Nursing, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA. mlor2@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Maichou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lor
authors.forename: Pa Yiar
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Khang
authors.forename: Pa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Kao Feng
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Moua
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lauver
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011582:Psychological Theory; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hmong; breast cancer screening; breast self-examination; cancer; cervical cancer screening; culture; screening; theory of care-seeking behavior