Understanding Immigrant Women's Information Needs: Role of Acculturation in Breast Cancer Prevention among Immigrant Asian Indian Women

Asian immigrants have higher breast cancer rates compared to counterparts in their native countries. Little is known about psychosocial factors pertaining to their breast health. We sought to understand how acculturation moderates the relationship between anxiety and breast cancer-related outcomes among immigrant Asian Indian women. Surveys and in-person interviews were conducted among a sample of immigrant Indian women. Acculturation was a significant predictor of information seeking, frequency of mammograms, and clinical breast exams. There was also a significant Anxiety×Acculturation interaction effect on information seeking. The relationship between anxiety and information seeking was particularly acute for high, as compared to average, level of acculturation. When designing interventions for immigrants, it is important for health communication campaigns to take into account two critical factors: acculturation and anxiety of the audience. Anxiety among highly acculturated women appears to suppress information seeking, and thus ameliorating their anxiety becomes key.