Sociocultural factors and breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: implications for diagnosis and management

Dinah A Tetteh; Sandra L Faulkner

doi:10.2217/whe.15.76

Sociocultural factors and breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: implications for diagnosis and management

Womens Health (Lond). 2016 Jan;12(1):147-56. doi: 10.2217/whe.15.76. Epub 2016 Jan 12.

Authors

Dinah A Tetteh¹, Sandra L Faulkner^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Bowling Green State University, School of Media & Communication, 302 West Hall, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA.
² Bowling Green State University, Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies, 236 Shatzel Hall, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA.

Abstract

The incidence of breast cancer is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and efforts at early diagnosis have not been very successful because the public has scant knowledge about the disease, a large percentage of breast cancer cases are diagnosed late and mainly rural SSA women's practice of breast self-examination is poor. In this paper, we argue that an examination of the social and cultural contexts of SSA that influence breast cancer diagnosis and management in the region is needed. We discuss the implications of sociocultural factors, such as gender roles and spirituality, on breast cancer diagnosis and management in SSA.

Keywords: breast cancer; culture; social; sub-Saharan Africa; women's health.

MeSH terms

Africa South of the Sahara / epidemiology
Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control
Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
Female
Health Education / statistics & numerical data
Health Services Needs and Demand / statistics & numerical data*
Humans
Mass Screening / methods
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
Prognosis
Socioeconomic Factors
Women's Health / statistics & numerical data