Cervical cancer screening and vaccination acceptability and attitudes among Arab American women in Southeastern Michigan: a qualitative study.

Among Arab-American women in Michigan, rates of cervical cancer screening are lower than those in non-Hispanic White and Black women in the state. A deep understanding of the Arab community's perspective on cervical cancer screening is needed to address the disparity in rates across populations in Michigan. Arab and Chaldean women across Michigan were invited to participate in Zoom-based focus groups to understand the attitudes, acceptability, and barriers of cervical cancer screening among this population. Four focus groups with a total of 19 women aged 30 to 61 were conducted. The focus groups were conducted in English, Arabic, or both languages. The guided discussion was focused on knowledge of cervical cancer and Human papillomavirus (HPV) and its transmission, attitudes towards HPV vaccination, and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening. HPV self-sampling as an alternative to traditional provider-based screening was specifically discussed as this has been proposed as a way to increase screening in hard-to-reach populations. The conversations revealed insights related to barriers at the individual and community levels for screening and vaccination, attitudes towards preventive health care including screening, a need for accessible women's health literature, and health education. The women also discussed vaccine hesitancy related to HPV and COVID-19, suggesting a need for targeted community interventions.

Understanding of cervical cancer, acceptability of HPV self-collection, and prevalence of HPV in a semi-urban setting in Bangladesh.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling has been implemented successfully as an alternative to traditional forms of cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings. Through Bangladesh's current national cervical cancer screening program, only about 10% of the at-risk population is reached. Thus, Bangladesh is an ideal setting to consider HPV self-sampling to improve cervical cancer prevention efforts. However, the feasibility and acceptability of HPV self-sampling has not been evaluated in Bangladesh. We aimed to understand levels of HPV and cervical cancer knowledge and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening in a semi-urban Bangladeshi community. Participants were recruited from a local clinic; 164 women completed a cross-sectional questionnaire about attitudes towards screening, and cervical cancer and HPV risk factor knowledge, and provided self-collected cervical samples for high-risk HPV testing. Of the participants, 4.3% tested positive for high-risk HPV and were referred for appropriate follow-up care. Nearly all participants had heard of cervical cancer, though specific knowledge was quite low. Self-sampling for high-risk HPV testing had high rates of acceptability, high rates of convenience, and very little discomfort and embarrassment reported in this study population, making implementing HPV self-sampling as a form of cervical cancer screening in Bangladesh appear feasible.

Effects of risk factors for ovarian cancer in women with and without endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations between 10 well-established ovarian cancer risk factors and risk of ovarian cancer among women with vs. without endometriosis. DESIGN: Pooled analysis of 9 case-control studies in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. SETTING: Population-based. PATIENT(S): We included 8,500 women with ovarian cancer, 13,592 control women. INTERVENTION(S): Ten well-established ovarian cancer risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Risk of ovarian cancer for women with and without endometriosis. RESULT(S): Most risk factor-ovarian cancer associations were similar when comparing women with and without endometriosis, and no interactions were statistically significant. However, body mass index (BMI) 25-<30 kg/m2 was associated with increased ovarian cancer risk among women with endometriosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.60), but not associated with the risk among women without endometriosis (OR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.91-1.05) when compared with BMI 18.5-<25 kg/m2; an increased risk was observed for a BMI ≥30 kg/m2, although there was little difference comparing women with endometriosis (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 0.94-1.57) to women without (OR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.04-1.22) (P-interaction = .51). Genital talcum powder use and long-term menopausal estrogen-only therapy use showed increased ovarian cancer risk, but risk appeared greater for those with endometriosis vs. those without (genital talcum powder: OR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.04-1.84 vs. OR = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01-1.25, respectively; ≥10 years of estrogen-only therapy: OR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.09-3.24 vs. OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.14-1.76, respectively); neither of these interactions were statistically significant (P-interaction = .65 and P-interaction = .96, respectively). CONCLUSION(S): The associations between ovarian cancer and most risk factors were similar among women with and without endometriosis. However, there was some suggestion of differences by endometriosis status for BMI, menopausal hormone therapy use, and genital talcum powder use, highlighting the complexity of ovarian cancer etiology.

High Prediagnosis Inflammation-Related Risk Score Associated with Decreased Ovarian Cancer Survival.

BACKGROUND: There is suggestive evidence that inflammation is related to ovarian cancer survival. However, more research is needed to identify inflammation-related factors that are associated with ovarian cancer survival and to determine their combined effects. METHODS: This analysis used pooled data on 8,147 women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. The prediagnosis inflammation-related exposures of interest included alcohol use; aspirin use; other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use; body mass index; environmental tobacco smoke exposure; history of pelvic inflammatory disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and endometriosis; menopausal hormone therapy use; physical inactivity; smoking status; and talc use. Using Cox proportional hazards models, the relationship between each exposure and survival was assessed in 50% of the data. A weighted inflammation-related risk score (IRRS) was developed, and its association with survival was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models in the remaining 50% of the data. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant trend of increasing risk of death per quartile of the IRRS [HR = 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.14]. Women in the upper quartile of the IRRS had a 31% higher death rate compared with the lowest quartile (95% CI, 1.11-1.54). CONCLUSIONS: A higher prediagnosis IRRS was associated with an increased mortality risk after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate whether postdiagnosis exposures are also associated with survival. IMPACT: Given that pre- and postdiagnosis exposures are often correlated and many are modifiable, our study results can ultimately motivate the development of behavioral recommendations to enhance survival among patients with ovarian cancer.

Endometriosis and menopausal hormone therapy impact the hysterectomy-ovarian cancer association.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between hysterectomy and ovarian cancer, and to understand how hormone therapy (HT) use and endometriosis affect this association. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of self-reported data from 11 case-control studies in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Women with (n = 5350) and without ovarian cancer (n = 7544) who never used HT or exclusively used either estrogen-only therapy (ET) or estrogen+progestin therapy (EPT) were included. Risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer adjusted for duration of ET and EPT use and stratified on history of endometriosis was determined using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Overall and among women without endometriosis, there was a positive association between ovarian cancer risk and hysterectomy (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.09-1.31 and OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32, respectively), but no association upon adjusting for duration of ET and EPT use (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.94-1.16 and OR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.95-1.18, respectively). Among women with a history of endometriosis, there was a slight inverse association between hysterectomy and ovarian cancer risk (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.69-1.26), but this association became stronger and statistically significant after adjusting for duration of ET and EPT use (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.48-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The hysterectomy-ovarian cancer association is complex and cannot be understood without considering duration of ET and EPT use and history of endometriosis. Failure to take these exposures into account in prior studies casts doubt on their conclusions. Overall, hysterectomy is not risk-reducing for ovarian cancer, however the inverse association among women with endometriosis warrants further investigation.

Expanding Our Understanding of Ovarian Cancer Risk: The Role of Incomplete Pregnancies.

BACKGROUND: Parity is associated with decreased risk of invasive ovarian cancer; however, the relationship between incomplete pregnancies and invasive ovarian cancer risk is unclear. This relationship was examined using 15 case-control studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Histotype-specific associations, which have not been examined previously with large sample sizes, were also evaluated. METHODS: A pooled analysis of 10 470 invasive epithelial ovarian cancer cases and 16 942 controls was conducted. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between incomplete pregnancies and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer were estimated using logistic regression. All models were conditioned on OCAC study, race and ethnicity, age, and education level and adjusted for number of complete pregnancies, oral contraceptive use, and history of breastfeeding. The same approach was used for histotype-specific analyses. RESULTS: Ever having an incomplete pregnancy was associated with a 16% reduction in ovarian cancer risk (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.79 to 0.89). There was a trend of decreasing risk with increasing number of incomplete pregnancies (2-sided Ptrend < .001). An inverse association was observed for all major histotypes; it was strongest for clear cell ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete pregnancies are associated with a reduced risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Pregnancy, including incomplete pregnancy, was associated with a greater reduction in risk of clear cell ovarian cancer, but the result was broadly consistent across histotypes. Future work should focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying this reduced risk.

Perceived Discrimination and Mental Well-being in Arab Americans from Southeast Michigan: a Cross-Sectional Study.

There is growing evidence for the adverse health effects of structural and individual forms of discrimination in multiple religious, ethnic, and racial groups. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Arab Americans have experienced increasingly more frequent and visible forms of discrimination. However, the impact of these experiences on their mental well-being requires further investigation. This study examines the association between perceived discrimination and several markers of mental health and well-being, using cross-sectional data from a convenience sample of 279 Arab American adults from southeast Michigan. After adjustment for a series of relevant confounders, perceived discrimination was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (estimate 0.93, 95% CI 0.53, 1.34, p < 0.01), anxiety symptoms (estimate 0.48, 95% CI 0.19, 0.77, p < 0.01), and poor self-rated health (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08, 1.58, p < 0.01). The study highlights the need to address and mitigate health disparities among individuals of Arab descent and improves awareness of the potential health effects of ongoing structural and interpersonal discrimination toward this population.

"I am not a statistic" ovarian cancer survivors' views of factors that influenced their long-term survival.

OBJECTIVE: Although a high proportion of women with advanced stage ovarian cancer die within five years, approximately 30% will survive longer than this. The factors contributing to exceptional survival are currently poorly understood. The viewpoints of ovarian cancer survivors were qualitatively explored to determine the factors they felt have influenced their exceptional ovarian cancer survival. METHODS: Four focus groups, one each in Los Angeles (California), Ann Arbor (Michigan), New York (New York) and Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), were conducted with women who had survived at least five years. Physical activity, diet, meditation, prayer, treatment, complementary medicine, and side effects were explored in semi-structured discussions. The audiotaped sessions were transcribed and coded and then analyzed using Dedoose Version 8.0.35, a qualitative analysis software. RESULTS: Of the 26 women who participated, 23 had advanced stage disease. Three overarching themes emerged: (a) survivors had improved their 'lifestyles', including but not limited to fitness and diet; (b) survivors were able to draw on strong support systems, which included family, friends, support groups, faith communities, and healthcare workers; and (c) survivors had a strong life purpose, which manifested as positivity, taking charge of their lives, and advocating for themselves. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term survivors have varying experiences with their cancer, but identified lifestyle modification, motivation and persistence, strong life purpose, and strong support systems as key elements in their better survival. These preliminary findings indicate the need for further prospective studies to determine whether meaningful differences exist between short term and long term survivors on these characteristics.