Korean American Immigrant Women’s Perceived Breast Cancer Risk and Prevention Beliefs: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: With the goal of informing culturally appropriate intervention strategies, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the Korean American immigrant women’s (KAIW) perceptions of breast cancer risk and how their perceived risk, along with normative breast cancer prevention beliefs, shaped their attitudes toward mammography. Method: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 30 Korean women in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to code and analyze interview data. Results: Two major themes were identified: (a) perceived risk of breast cancer and attitudes to prevention (e.g., worried and using all means of prevention) and (b) influences on attitudes to breast cancer prevention (e.g., family members and friends’ cancer experiences). Discussion: Breast cancer prevention interventions for KAIW should target perceived breast cancer risk, social factors such as women’s family roles and social networks, and health information evaluation skills.