Peer-led, faith-based co-designed intervention to improve Muslim women’s cancer screening: results from the IMCAN study
6 affiliations
- 1School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Sunderland , ,
- 2The Medical College of Wisconsin , , ,
- 3Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow , ,
- 4School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing, University of Glasgow , ,
- 5School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow , ,
- 6Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London , ,
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer screening saves lives, but Muslim women are less likely to participate in screening than the general population. This makes them less likely to benefit from earlier diagnosis. Faith-based cancer communications provide an acceptable strategy for addressing screening barriers. Hence, we evaluated the impact of a faith-based intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and breast, cervical and colorectal (bowel) screening practices of Muslim women in the UK. Our intervention was a co-designed, peer-led, two-hour workshop informed by the Integrated Screening Action Model (I-SAM) and 3R religiously-tailored messaging model, included peer-led discussions about cancer screening, GP-led education on screening, testimonials from Muslim women, and a female religious-scholar led didactic on Islamic perspectives on screening.
Methods: In 2024, as part of a non-randomised feasibility and efficacy trial, the workshop was co-delivered 16 times, face-to-face or online, with 169 Muslim women in Glasgow and North-East England who were not up-to-date with at least one screening programme. Consistent with I-SAM, outcomes included screening knowledge, attitudes, intentions and self-reported uptake measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-and 12-months. Changes from baseline were evaluated with paired tests. Linear regression was used to assess associations with socio-demographic and attitudinal covariates.
Results: Participants were aged 25–74 (mean 47), and 128 (76.6%) identified as South Asian. Mean cancer knowledge more than doubled from pre-intervention to 12-month follow-up (from 3.2/14 to 7.4/14; mean change = 4.2 [95% CI 3.6, 4.8]). Some attitudes changed significantly (e.g., risk perception), although others did not (e.g., worry about male providers). Intention to engage in screening increased significantly from pre-intervention to 12-months for breast (55 to 92%, change = 37% [22, 52%], n = 38), cervical (43 to 83%, change = 40% [29, 51%], n = 100), and colorectal (35 to 85%, change = 50% [28, 72%], n = 20). Among participants invited for screening during 12 months-follow-up, self-reported uptake was 70% ( n = 14/22) for breast screening, 87% ( n = 41/50) for cervical screening and 91% ( n = 10/11) for colorectal screening.
Conclusion: This is the first evaluation of a peer-led, faith-based intervention for British Muslim women and suggests it may be effective in improving screening knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Further research is needed to determine intervention effectiveness in larger and more robust studies.
Related
- A multilevel intervention to improve adherence to prostate cancer active surveillance versus usual care: results from a pilot randomized controlled trial.
- Multi-site evaluation of an interprofessional education and systems intervention to improve geriatric screening in primary care.
- From screening to lifestyle intervention: real-world results of HALT2Diabetes in high-risk adults
- Fe3+-Substituted Sr6YAl(BO3)6 Red Pigments Designed Without Pb, Cd, or Hg: Colour Performance, Chemical Stability, and Elemental Release Screening
- Enjoy Life LocallY (ELLY): A qualitative study of a co-designed healthy weight and wellbeing intervention in two disadvantaged Scottish communities
BibTeX
@article{jong2026peerled,
title = {{Peer-led, faith-based co-designed intervention to improve Muslim women’s cancer screening: results from the IMCAN study}},
author = {Floor Christie-De Jong and Rawand Jarrar and Aasim I. Padela and P. Theo Pepler and Marie K. Murphy and Alex McConnachie and Cerysh Sadiq and Fozia Haider and Anna Matthews and Laura A. V. Marlow and Kathryn A. Robb},
journal = {Frontiers in public health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1918791},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13690773},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Peer-led, faith-based co-designed intervention to improve Muslim women’s cancer screening: results from the IMCAN study
AU - Floor Christie-De Jong
AU - Rawand Jarrar
AU - Aasim I. Padela
AU - P. Theo Pepler
AU - Marie K. Murphy
AU - Alex McConnachie
AU - Cerysh Sadiq
AU - Fozia Haider
AU - Anna Matthews
AU - Laura A. V. Marlow
AU - Kathryn A. Robb
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - Frontiers in public health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1918791
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13690773
AB - Introduction: Cancer screening saves lives, but Muslim women are less likely to participate in screening than the general population. This makes them less likely to benefit from earlier diagnosis. Faith-based cancer communications provide an acceptable strategy for addressing screening barriers. Hence, we evaluated the impact of a faith-based intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and breast, cervical and colorectal (bowel) screening practices of Muslim women in the UK. Our intervention was a co-designed, peer-led, two-hour workshop informed by the Integrated Screening Action Model (I-SAM) and 3R religiously-tailored messaging model, included peer-led discussions about cancer screening, GP-led education on screening, testimonials from Muslim women, and a female religious-scholar led didactic on Islamic perspectives on screening. Methods: In 2024, as part of a non-randomised feasibility and efficacy trial, the workshop was co-delivered 16 times, face-to-face or online, with 169 Muslim women in Glasgow and North-East England who were not up-to-date with at least one screening programme. Consistent with I-SAM, outcomes included screening knowledge, attitudes, intentions and self-reported uptake measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-and 12-months. Changes from baseline were evaluated with paired tests. Linear regression was used to assess associations with socio-demographic and attitudinal covariates. Results: Participants were aged 25–74 (mean 47), and 128 (76.6%) identified as South Asian. Mean cancer knowledge more than doubled from pre-intervention to 12-month follow-up (from 3.2/14 to 7.4/14; mean change = 4.2 [95% CI 3.6, 4.8]). Some attitudes changed significantly (e.g., risk perception), although others did not (e.g., worry about male providers). Intention to engage in screening increased significantly from pre-intervention to 12-months for breast (55 to 92%, change = 37% [22, 52%], n = 38), cervical (43 to 83%, change = 40% [29, 51%], n = 100), and colorectal (35 to 85%, change = 50% [28, 72%], n = 20). Among participants invited for screening during 12 months-follow-up, self-reported uptake was 70% ( n = 14/22) for breast screening, 87% ( n = 41/50) for cervical screening and 91% ( n = 10/11) for colorectal screening. Conclusion: This is the first evaluation of a peer-led, faith-based intervention for British Muslim women and suggests it may be effective in improving screening knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Further research is needed to determine intervention effectiveness in larger and more robust studies.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -