Nedra Lisovicz

Background: Tanzania has one of the highest worldwide incidence rates of cervical cancer. Approximately 80% of women present for care with late stage disease. Yet, little is known about cultural factors that influence women's and men's attitudes about cervical cancer screening and treatment. Methods: Tanzanian men (n=15) and women (n=15) ages 19-49 seeking care at a district health center in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania were asked to participate in face-to-face structured interviews regarding cervical cancer screening and treatment. Each interview lasted between thirty and forty-five minutes. Data analyses for this study were performed using NVivo software and hand coding. Results: Qualitative themes elucidated fatalistic perceptions related to loss of life, fertility and role identity associated with motherhood among women, and positive perceptions of cervical cancer prevention among men. Women reported concerns about stigma and negative attitudes toward cervical cancer treatmen...

Background: Tanzania has one the highest age-adjusted incidence rates of cervical cancer. The incidence of breast cancer is increasing although somewhat hard to estimate since there is no population level cancer registry. There is a paucity of research regarding population level scale up of breast and cervical cancer prevention in Tanzania. Methods: Data for this cross-sectional qualitative study included face-to-face interviews and a focus group discussion. Nineteen stakeholders from the Tanzanian Ministry of Health completed interviews. The Community Health Management Team of the Kinondoni District participated in a focus group discussion (n=10). Both face-to-face interviews and the focus group discussion were conducted to determine political will and feasibility of developing a community-based breast and cervical cancer control and prevention program. Results: Qualitative themes elucidated political will for the development of a community-based cervical cancer program, the need t...

Background: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Tanzania. Fewer than 20% of women in Tanzania present for care when cervical cancer disease is in its early, preventable stages. Development of structural factors related to health policy and health services may alleviate disease mortality and morbidity. Methods: Fifty stakeholders from government, nongovernmental, and healthcare organizations including the Tanzanian Ministry of Health (MOH) completed semi-structured face-to-face interviews to determine existing health services for cervical cancer, and capacity for implementation of a community-based program to promote screenings. Each interview lasted approximately two hours and was comprised of individuals and teams of stakeholders. Qualitative data analyses were performed using NVivo software. Results: Qualitative themes were related to political will, health services infrastructure, and partnership building. Political will and public/private collabor...

Cancer fatalism, which can be understood as the belief that cancer is a death sentence, has been found to be a deterrent to preventive cancer screening participation. This study examines factors associated with breast cancer fatalism among women. We analyzed data from a 2003 survey of women 40 years of age. The survey collected information about respondents' knowledge and attitudes regarding breast health. Analyses compared the characteristics of women who reported and those who did not report a fatalistic attitude. Women with a fatalistic attitude were more likely to be African American, to have a family history of breast cancer, to rate their quality of care as fair or poor, to believe that not much could be done to prevent breast cancer, to believe that breast cancer could not be cured if found early, and to believe that treatment could be worse than the disease.

The goal of this study was to understand the unique needs and barriers to breast cancer control among African American women in the rural South. This population experiences barriers that surpass that of other minorities. Researchers conducted 6 focus groups to assess barriers of minority women in Mississippi toward breast cancer prevention and clinical trials. These women had little knowledge of treatment options and negative perceptions of screening and clinical trial participation. This research equips others to identify new health education strategies. Conclusions also provide insight into prevention for other minority populations, such as Latina, Asian, and American Indian women.

... Department of GYN Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama. Correspondence: Nedra Lisovicz, PhD, MPH, CHES, Department, of Preventive Medicine, MT 516, 1717 11 th Ave. ... [PubMed]. 30. Johnson RE, Green BL, Anderson-Lewis C, et al. ...