TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with Taiwanese lesbians’ breast health-care behavior and intentions
T2 - Qualitative interview findings
AU - Wang, Ya Ching
AU - Griffiths, Jane
AU - Grande, Gunn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2016/9/16
Y1 - 2016/9/16
N2 - This article presents the qualitative findings of a mixed-methods study that explored factors influencing lesbians’ breast health-care behavior and intentions. A total of 37 semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted among women who self-identified as lesbians or women who partnered with the same gender who were aged 20 years or above in four areas of Taiwan (North, Central, South, and East Taiwan) between August 2012 and October 2012. Interviews were audio recorded with participants’ consent. The interviews were analyzed using constant comparative analysis with Nvivo audio-coding support. Four themes were identified to be strongly associated with the lesbians’ breast health-care behavior and their intentions, namely, gender identity, gender role expression, partners’ support, and concerns about health-care providers’ reactions. Important barriers to the women’s breast health-care behavior and intentions were masculine identity (“T-identity” in Taiwan), masculine appearance, concerns about health-care providers’ lack of knowledge of multiple gender diversity, and their attitudes toward lesbians. Conversely, their partners’ support was a factor facilitating the women’s breast health-care behavior and intentions, particularly for the T-identity lesbians. These findings suggest the significance of and need for culturally competent care and are important for improving Taiwanese lesbians’ breast health.
AB - This article presents the qualitative findings of a mixed-methods study that explored factors influencing lesbians’ breast health-care behavior and intentions. A total of 37 semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted among women who self-identified as lesbians or women who partnered with the same gender who were aged 20 years or above in four areas of Taiwan (North, Central, South, and East Taiwan) between August 2012 and October 2012. Interviews were audio recorded with participants’ consent. The interviews were analyzed using constant comparative analysis with Nvivo audio-coding support. Four themes were identified to be strongly associated with the lesbians’ breast health-care behavior and their intentions, namely, gender identity, gender role expression, partners’ support, and concerns about health-care providers’ reactions. Important barriers to the women’s breast health-care behavior and intentions were masculine identity (“T-identity” in Taiwan), masculine appearance, concerns about health-care providers’ lack of knowledge of multiple gender diversity, and their attitudes toward lesbians. Conversely, their partners’ support was a factor facilitating the women’s breast health-care behavior and intentions, particularly for the T-identity lesbians. These findings suggest the significance of and need for culturally competent care and are important for improving Taiwanese lesbians’ breast health.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - breast health
KW - breast screening
KW - lesbians
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84987889590&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84987889590&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03630242.2016.1222331
DO - 10.1080/03630242.2016.1222331
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84987889590
SN - 0363-0242
VL - 57
SP - 1
EP - 14
JO - Women and Health
JF - Women and Health
IS - 8
ER -