Cultural Competence and Breast Cancer

Cultural Competence and Breast Cancer
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Breast cancer is a type of cancer that originates from the breast tissues which is commonly known to affect women. Recently, breast cancer survival rates in women have significantly increased especially in the Asian-American women. Research has proven that increased survival rates are due to lifestyle and behavioral factors. To improve the overall survival and health related quality of life culture must be considered in order to encourage healthy lifestyles and behaviors. Cultural beliefs and health behaviors are vital in increasing the overall rates of breast cancer survivors (BCSs).
Cultural competence can be defined as a process by which systems and individuals respond to people of all cultures, languages, backgrounds, and religions among other factors, recognizing, affirming and valuing others as well as protecting and preserving the dignity of each other. Culture influences what is viewed as a health problem, expression of symptoms, how health care is received and what kind of care should be given.
Different cultural perceptions also have implications on what patterns people engage in changing their lifestyles and behaviors. For example, Asian-American women would recount causes of cancer to family history, environmental factors, and immoral factors. On the other hand, Latinas would relate cancer to nicotine use, physical trauma to the breast, food, alcohol, and birth control pills. These perceptions would differently cause the breast cancer survivors respond differently to lifestyle changes and health behaviors.
Treatment related decisions and acculturation level might also affect the breast cancer survivors towards their health behaviors. For example, a culture may be skeptical about other culture treatment procedures; Chinese women may be so used to the herbal medicines in their treatment thus they may easily fail to follow the physicians` instructions. The relationship between care providers and the breast cancer survivors may also infl...