Community and Policy Factors Influencing the Decision to Undergo Screening Mammography amongst Indian Women in the United Arab Emirates

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the expectations, requirements, and recommendations and identifies the socio-ecological determinants for the informed uptake of screening mammography amongst expatriate women residing in the UAE. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative research approach was adopted using five focus group discussions. The study comprised two populations- those who had undergone screening mammography and those who had not. Thematic analysis- the six-phase model was adopted and modified for data analysis. RESULTS: The factors that influence the rate of uptake of screening mammography by the participants were multifactorial and reciprocal. The community determinants identified are cultural beliefs, medical professionals, breast cancer survivors, community organizations, and media. The health policies in an expatriate’s home country and adopted country were found to have a considerable influence on the health behaviors of the participants. A comprehensive approach to change in health behavior is required to increase the informed uptake of screening mammography by expatriate women residing in the UAE. CONCLUSION: The study identified the need of developing migrant health units with community navigators, international health collaboration, migrant health directory, risk assessment team, automatic invitation system for screening, referral system, migrant cancer registry, and psychological support team in UAE. However, further studies are expected to give a wider perspective.