Download Free Health Beliefs And Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors Of Women Religious In America Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online Health Beliefs And Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors Of Women Religious In America and write the review.

We are what we eat. That old expression seems particularly poignant every time we have our blood drawn for a routine physical to check our cholesterol levels. And, it's not just what we eat that affects our health. Whole ranges of behaviors ultimately make a difference in how we feel and how we maintain our health. Lifestyle choices have enormous impact on our health and well being. But, how do we communicate the language of good health so that it is uniformly received-and accepted-by people from different cultures and backgrounds? Take, for example, the case of a 66 year old Latina. She has been told by her doctor that she should have a mammogram. But her sense of fatalism tells her that it is better not to know if anything is wrong. To know that something is wrong will cause her distress and this may well lead to even more health problems. Before she leaves her doctor's office she has decided not to have a mammogram-that is until her doctor points out that having a mammogram is a way to take care of herself so that she can continue to take care of her family. In this way, the decision to have a mammogram feels like a positive step. Public health communicators and health professionals face dilemmas like this every day. Speaking of Health looks at the challenges of delivering important messages to different audiences. Using case studies in the areas of diabetes, mammography, and mass communication campaigns, it examines the ways in which messages must be adapted to the unique informational needs of their audiences if they are to have any real impact. Speaking of Health looks at basic theories of communication and behavior change and focuses on where they apply and where they don't. By suggesting creative strategies and guidelines for speaking to diverse audiences now and in the future, the Institute of Medicine seeks to take health communication into the 21st century. In an age where we are inundated by multiple messages every day, this book will be a critical tool for all who are interested in communicating with diverse communities about health issues.
Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is currently considered the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S. It is unique from other cancers in that it presents extreme financial costs, coupled with both physiological and psychological consequences for the impacted women and their families. Lifestyle factors are known contributors to rates of breast cancer, and knowledge is essential to its prevention. Women who are classified as "emerging adults" offer a vital window of opportunity for intervention, as lifestyle patterns are often set during this time. This cross-sectional, descriptive study examined the level of breast cancer knowledge, beliefs, and screening behaviors among a sample of emerging adult college women (n = 342) in the southeastern U.S. by measuring participants' confidence, health motivation, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers, in addition to their degree of worry in relation to breast cancer. Participants responded to a written, self-report 86-item questionnaire. All analyses were conducted using SAS® 9.0. Results of the study showed participants had a low level of perceived susceptibility towards breast cancer, as well as relatively low overall breast cancer knowledge. Findings also revealed a significant association between ethnicity, year in school, and family history of breast cancer and participants' general degree of breast cancer-related worry. Of the Health Belief Model constructs, confidence and perceived barriers were found to significantly predict breast self-examination. The college years provide a great opportunity for health intervention strategies. Health program planners should aim to develop interventions that are adapted to address the unique needs of women who are transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. These interventions should center on enhancing self-efficacy of breast cancer screening and reducing barriers. Education-based programs are also needed to increase women's overall knowledge and awareness of breast cancer-related issues. Such strategies have great potential to enhance women's quality of life and positively influence those with whom they closely interact.
This handbook examines health and medical care in the Arab world from a systems biology approach. It features comprehensive coverage that includes details of key social, environmental, and cultural determinants. In addition, the contributors also investigate the developed infrastructure that manages and delivers health care and medical solutions throughout the region.More than 25 sections consider all aspects of health, from cancer to hormone replacement therapy, from the use of medications to vitamin deficiency in emergency medical care. Chapters highlight essential areas in the wellbeing and care of this population. These topics include women’s health care, displaced and refugee women’s health needs, childhood health, social and environmental causes of disease, health systems and health management, and a wide range of diseases of various body systems. This resource also explores issues related to access and barriers to health delivery throughout the region.Health in the Arab world is complex and rapidly changing. The health burden in the region is distributed unevenly based on gender, location, as well as other factors. In addition, crises such as armed conflicts and an expanding migrant population place additional stress on systems and providers at all levels. This timely resource will help readers better understand all these major issues and more. It will serve as an ideal guide for researchers in various biological disciplines, public health, and regulatory agencies.
Nearly 40,000 women died of breast cancer last year in the United States each year. Even though the incidence of breast cancer is lower in African American women than Caucasian women, the mortality is 30% higher. There are a number of factors which have been discussed in the literature that often attribute this statistic to factors such as access, religiosity, and biology; while these factors are valid, much of the literature has examined African American woman in comparatively small numbers as well as of lower socioeconomic and educational status. Further, the theoretical framework in the majority of the literature has been solely the Health Belief Model. I contend that experiences with health care professionals, cultural influences, and religiosity play an important role in the breast health decisions that African American women make. In recognition of the complexity of the lives of African American women, this research includes Black Feminist theory framework to highlight the narrative of 44 African American women; age 30-50 that are highly educated, have access to health care and screening, and are religious. The findings of this research were as follows: women were influenced by their experiences with health care professionals; in addition, cultural factors also played an important role in the breast health decisions. In spite of the potentially negative impact noted in literature, generally these women have increased their level of knowledge relating to their breast health. At the same time, they have positioned their religiosity/spirituality as a useful resource, used in conjunction with science based recommendations. These women have exhibited a high level of agency and independence in making their "optimal" breast health decisions. While the church continues to be a valuable source of strength in the African American community, women must seek strong and transparent relationships with their primary physicians so that accurate medical information can be acquired. Though myths and misinformation continue as well as the fact that there are too many failures in the management of the breast health of African American women, there are many successes, survivors and healings to be celebrated. These stories must be told as well.