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Colon Cancer Knowledge and Attitudes in an Immigrant Haitian Community

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Abstract

Objective To qualitatively evaluate the views of Haitian immigrants on cancer and the influence of cultural and socio-ecological factors on cancer screening behavior. Methods Six focus groups, consisting of 4–10 individuals each, were conducted among Haitian adults at average risk for colorectal cancer. The interviews were conducted in Haitian Creole and featured questions that addressed beliefs and attitudes about general health, access to health care, colon cancer, and screening practices. Results The focus groups provided insight into the health service utilization patterns in the Haitian community, as well as the factors driving them including language and the pattern of accessing healthcare only for emergencies. Conclusions Many misconceptions regarding cancer and its development were evident in the discussions. However participants were willing to follow the recommendations of a physician. This highlighted the importance in this community of disseminating information at every opportunity about preventative care, including colorectal cancer screening.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Special Populations Network of the National Cancer Institute Grant # UA CA 86286-01. We thank the Flatbush Haitian Center, and Radio Tropicale for their support of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Fritz Francois

  2. Division of Gastroenterology (11132D), VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, 423 East 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Fritz Francois

  3. Center for Immigrant Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Greta Elysée, Susan Shah & Francesca Gany

Authors
  1. Fritz Francois
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  2. Greta Elysée
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  3. Susan Shah
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  4. Francesca Gany
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Correspondence to Fritz Francois.

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Francois, F., Elysée, G., Shah, S. et al. Colon Cancer Knowledge and Attitudes in an Immigrant Haitian Community. J Immigrant Minority Health 11, 319–325 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9126-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9126-6

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