title: Developing a culturally competent faith-based framework to promote breast cancer screening among Afghan immigrant women.
abstract: For the tens of thousands of Afghan immigrant women currently living in the USA, religious and cultural beliefs can act as a barrier to health care access. Islamic frameworks and men's gatekeeping roles often control women's decision-making power about their health care needs. Gatekeepers, however, can be reconceived as facilitators empowered to protect the well-being of the family, and positive messages within Islam can foster collaborative investment in women's health. Drawing upon a pilot study utilizing community-based participatory research involving the largest Afghan community in the USA, this paper documents the need for culturally sensitive faith-based education to promote breast cancer screening among this growing population.
authors.affiliation: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Oregon State University, 252 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA, mehra.shirazi@oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: Mehra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirazi
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shirazi
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan / Q000208:ethnology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D054521:Cultural Competency; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D012036:Refugees; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014481:United States