Critical Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening in Caribbean-American Women of African Ancestry
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Globally, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 14 seconds, underscoring the urgent need for early detection through screening to reduce mortality rates. Black women experience higher mortality rates than other ethnic groups, emphasizing the importance of early detection and screening in improving clinical outcomes.
Purpose: This qualitative constructivist grounded theory study explored key factors influencing breast cancer screening practices among Caribbean-American women of African ancestry, that aided in the development of a substantive theory.
Philosophical Underpinnings: The study was guided by constructivism, pragmatism, and symbolic interactionism, which helped frame the participants' experiences and the development of the substantive theory.
Methods: This study utilized Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory methodology, collecting data through intensive individual interviews to explore key themes. The research process included coding, transcript verification, and theory-building, with 21 participants recruited through purposive sampling, data analysis was conducted using the Dedoose software program.
Results: The study led to the development of The Theory of Sociocultural Determinants in Breast Cancer Screening capturing participants’ experiences. Findings emphasized the significance of support networks, accessible education, cultural sensitivity in healthcare, and increased awareness among diverse ethnic groups, while also highlighting financial and healthcare access barriers.
Notes
Reference list attached as a separate document file.
Sigma Membership
Lambda Chi
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Grounded Theory
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Cultural Context and Care, Breast Cancer Screening, BIPOC, Caribbean-American Women of African Ancestry
Recommended Citation
Yacoob, Corvette V.; Hershorin, Indra; Upvall, Michele; and Subramoney, Ronica, "Critical Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening in Caribbean-American Women of African Ancestry" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 83.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/83
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-09
Critical Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening in Caribbean-American Women of African Ancestry
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Globally, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 14 seconds, underscoring the urgent need for early detection through screening to reduce mortality rates. Black women experience higher mortality rates than other ethnic groups, emphasizing the importance of early detection and screening in improving clinical outcomes.
Purpose: This qualitative constructivist grounded theory study explored key factors influencing breast cancer screening practices among Caribbean-American women of African ancestry, that aided in the development of a substantive theory.
Philosophical Underpinnings: The study was guided by constructivism, pragmatism, and symbolic interactionism, which helped frame the participants' experiences and the development of the substantive theory.
Methods: This study utilized Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory methodology, collecting data through intensive individual interviews to explore key themes. The research process included coding, transcript verification, and theory-building, with 21 participants recruited through purposive sampling, data analysis was conducted using the Dedoose software program.
Results: The study led to the development of The Theory of Sociocultural Determinants in Breast Cancer Screening capturing participants’ experiences. Findings emphasized the significance of support networks, accessible education, cultural sensitivity in healthcare, and increased awareness among diverse ethnic groups, while also highlighting financial and healthcare access barriers.
Description
This study provided a platform for participants to share their experiences, culminating in a substantive theory that can guide future research and interventions to improve breast cancer screening practices.