The Intersectionality of Cultural and Religious Barriers to Mammography in the Arab American Population

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the U.S. (American Cancer Society, 2023). Mammograms are crucial for early detection and have reduced breast cancer mortality rates by 40% from 1987 to 2017. However, Arab American women have lower mammography utilization rates despite being at higher risk for breast cancer (Alkhafi et al., 2023). This trend increases their likelihood of late-stage diagnoses, with higher rates of non-localized breast cancer among Middle Eastern immigrants compared to non-Hispanic whites (Ziadeh et al., 2018). As breast cancer staging at diagnosis is a key predictor of survival, these findings point to an elevated mortality risk and highlight significant healthcare disparities within the Arab American community. Current literature often overlooks the Arab community by grouping them with “White” in census data, limiting targeted research on their specific health needs (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). This miscategorization fails to address the unique geographical, socioeconomic, and cultural factors affecting their healthcare access. Cultural barriers, such as shame, knowledge gaps, and traditional beliefs, hinder mammography utilization (Alatrash, 2020; Mellon et al., 2013; Racine and Andsoy, 2022). Recent studies aim to enhance the visibility of Arab Americans in breast cancer research, exploring cultural, religious, and economic barriers to mammography. This narrative review will assess these barriers and evaluate past interventions, aiming to inform future culturally competent strategies for improving mammography utilization in the Arab American community.