African American women's experiences with breast cancer screening

Purpose: To describe the experience and meaning of breast cancer screening for African American women. Breast cancer screening offers the greatest hope of reducing breast cancer mortality and improving breast cancer outcomes. Despite the proliferation of initiatives targeting African American women, they continue to be first diagnosed only when they have late-stage disease. Design and Methods: Using hermeneutic phenomenological research methods, 23 low- and middle-income African American women were interviewed to gain an understanding of their experiences with breast cancer screening. Findings: Participants varied in their experiences with breast cancer screening. Women spoke of a desire for a holistic approach to health that did not separate the breast from the rest of the body. This desire is indicated in the theme of minding the body, self, and spirit, along with themes of relationships and spreading the word about breast health issues. Conclusions: Interventions for African American women should include a focus on minding the body, self, and spirit to promote breast cancer screening, and should indicate the importance of relationships and spreading the word about breast cancer screening.