Abstract
The United States health sector continues to record more cases of breast cancer among women. The incident rates of breast cancer vary considerably with racial and ethnic categories, with Asian women reporting lower rates. Healthcare practices, lifestyle, and risk factors associate with the high prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women (Gomez, Quach et al., 2010).
Purpose: The objective of the study was to determine factors associated with the high prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women.
Methods: The study used correlation quantitative study design. A group of 200 Asian women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2013 took place in the research. A sample of 30 participants was selected in to take part in surveys and questionnaires.
Findings: Asian women are more susceptible to breast cancer because of their prolonged stay in America. Health habits, lifestyle, and other risk factors influence the occurrence of the disease.
Conclusion: Nurses must encourage health habits, good lifestyle and address risks to help reduce the number of Asian women diagnosed with breast cancer in U.S.
Introduction
Background of study:
Problem (why this issued is being studied)
The rate of breast cancer among Indian women keeps increasing each day, which raises significant concerns about the future health and well-being of this population. Breast cancer is one of the most dangerous chronic diseases affecting racial and ethnic communities in America. The study on breast cancer has a lot of significance in helping establish factors leading to high rates of disease occurrence. Additionally, studying the issue helps get solutions to assist the community in reducing habits causing high prevalence for the disease.
Significance to nursing
The practice of nursing aims at improving the health status through conducting research and finding evidence about specific problems affecting people in the community. The findings from the study on breast cancer in Asian Women will have a lot of significance in nursing by helping develop evidence-based practices to assist future generations. Moreover, studying the topic helps broaden the scope of nursing by helping nurses understand upcoming challenges affecting the delivery of safe and patient-centered care.
Purpose
The study was conducted to determine factors associated with the high prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women. Additionally, the study determined breast cancer demographics among Asian women regarding the most vulnerable ages, body weight, occupation, socioeconomic status, and eating habits. The analysis of the findings helps in developing a plan for helping Asian women avoid breast cancer in the future.
Objectives: research question and hypothesis
The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women by analyzing risk factors contributing to high occurrences of the disease.
Research questions
What are the main factors associated with high prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women?
Is breast cancer associated with racial and ethnic disparities?
What health practices should this community practice to reduce the occurrence of the problem?
Concepts, phenomena
Concepts: The research investigated concepts of lifestyle, health practices, and risk factors about breast cancer in Asian women. A literature review assisted in establishing the influence these concepts have on the phenomenon investigated.
Phenomena: Breast cancer in Asian women
The study investigated the phenomena using information about concepts to establish the relationship between the phenomena and concepts. Various theories were applied to establish the relationship.
Methods of study:
Quantitative or qualitative
The study utilized quantitative study. The selection of qualitative research method was based on its ability to collect numerical data and analyzing it mathematically to establish the relationship between variables.
Research design
The correlation quantitative research design was used to collect data about the phenomena. The correlation research design helps in collecting data where the primary purpose of the research is establishing the relationship between variables. In the research, the sample was studied by a single group without factor isolation (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, & Zechmeister, 2006).
Sample
The research was carried out among Asian women living in California. The study used a sample of 200 women diagnosed with breast cancer between the year 2010 and 2013 collected from different hospitals in the state. The participants were divided into the six Asian ethnic populations to acquire a sample of five in each ethnic group. Stratified sampling was used to achieve the number. 30 participants took place in the survey.
Procedures
After arriving at the sample of 30 Asian women diagnosed with breast cancer, researchers engaged in the data collection process. A permit was obtained from each healthcare organization where data collection occurred. Additionally, all participants went through ethical and legal lessons and asked to sign an informed consent to ensure confidentiality of the information provided. The team conducted surveys on each of the 30 participants to determine their past and current lifestyle, health habits, and any risk factor that contributed to the occurrence of the disease. Additionally, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect personal information regarding family medical history, dietary habits, and private lifestyle.
Results of study:
What did they find?
Health habits, lifestyle, and risk factors contribute to the high prevalence of breast cancer among Asian women. Results from the survey showed that racial disparities and poor access to health care services acted as the key risk factors contributing to increasing cases of breast cancer among Asian women. On the other hand, age was identified as a contributing factor to the phenomena. Asian women aged between 25 and above recorded high cases of breast cancer. Asian women living in the United States have lower chances of breast cancer incidences and record low mortality rates. However, the research findings revealed that Asian immigrants to U.S. are at greater risks of acquiring the condition. An Asian woman born in the U.S. has 60% chances of acquiring the breast cancer compared to those living in other geographical locations. Immigrants who have stayed in the U.S. for more than ten years have high risks of breast cancer (80%) compared to recent immigrants (Little, 2008).
Implications for nursing
The findings from the research show nurses have a big role to play in ensuring the community stays healthy and avoids risks that lead to chronic diseases. Racial and ethnic disparities were identified as the major causes of breast cancer in Asian women. Nurses must ensure people from all races and ethnicities access quality and safe care by advocating for patient’s rights through policy development. Additionally, the evidence gathered from the research assist nurses in creating evidence-based practices to address future cases and establish more studies on the same topic to gather extra evidence.
Explain how the findings contribute to nursing knowledge/science. Would it impact practice, education, administration, or all areas of nursing?
Findings from the study contribute to the nursing knowledge by enabling nurses to realize the impact of conducting research and gaining evidence on issues affecting health care delivery. The outcome of the project has a positive impact on nursing education by promoting increased research knowledge to help nurses gather more information about the issue. The gap created by the research provides a better platform for future studies in nursing; hence, promoting education.
Ethical Considerations
Was the study approved by an Institutional Review Board?
The research team obtained the right to carry out the study from the Institution Review Board. The approval allowed the team to access data from different healthcare organizations and use human subjects.
Was patient privacy protected?
Scientific research studies must highly observe patient privacy, especially when using human subjects. Participants were assured of total confidentiality. Health information for patients was stored in a password-enabled database to ensure privacy and prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, the research team was cautioned not to include participant's name in the final report.
Were there ethical considerations regarding the treatment?
Breast cancer falls under the category of chronic diseases. Patient’s privacy is highly considered when interviewing the patient about the condition. All participants signed the informed consent to show their commitment to the study and ensure authors keep their information secure and safe.
Conclusion
Breast cancer among Asian women is a common phenomenon creating many challenges towards the growth and development of the Asian community. The research to investigate breast cancer among Asian women showed a positive relationship between breast cancer, lifestyle, risk factors, and health practices. Asian women living in American for long have higher chances of suffering from breast cancer compared to present immigrants. Nurses play a major role in preventing the spread of breast cancer among the Asian women. Reducing health disparities and improving dietary habits helps address the problem.
References
Gomez, S. L., Quach, T., Horn-Ross, P. L., Pham, J. T., Cockburn, M., Chang, E. T., Clarke,
C. A. (2010). Hidden Breast Cancer Disparities in Asian Women: Disaggregating Incidence Rates by Ethnicity and Migrant Status. American Journal of Public Health, 100(Suppl 1), S125–S131.
Little, D. (2008, April 24). Breast Cancer in Asian Women. Ethnomed. Retrieved 25 April 2016
Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2006). Research methods in
psychology. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
