Nursing Fulbright Scholar to Study Impact of Culture, Religion on Breast Cancer Prevention Among Islamic Women

Associate Nursing Professor Dr. Khlood Salman, a Muslim woman and native of Iraq, understands that traditional principles and cultural customs guide Islamic women’s health behavior. It was a close friend’s death from breast cancer, however, that partially spurred Salman’s research focus on women’s health and led to her recently awarded Fulbright scholarship focusing on breast cancer prevention.

Dr. Khlood Salman

Salman’s Fulbright Scholarship is the first awarded to a School of Nursing faculty member. “Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in the field,” said Nursing Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow. “Dr. Salman is an exemplar of a faculty scholar and leader who is invested in the health care needs of women of Middle Eastern descent, improving the Muslim-Christian dialogue and a strong advocate for cancer prevention and culturally relevant care for women.”

Salman will travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia this fall to study the impact of culture and religion on breast cancer prevention among Muslim women.

“Modesty is a big thing for women in Islam—it’s not only cultural, it’s in religion too,” says Salman, whose friend never disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis, despite being asked about her health. “Many Muslim women don’t feel comfortable being checked by a male doctor or being close to a man who is not their husband or a family member. And, women in the Middle East devote themselves to taking care of their husband and their family—that often results in them putting themselves last. When you don’t take care of yourself, anything can happen.”

According to Salman, Muslim women in Saudi Arabia aren’t comfortable discussing breast cancer. “I proposed to go to Mecca—a very Islamic, conservative city and the holiest city of Islam—to understand how women there perceive breast cancer prevention,” she said.

Salman will be based at Umm al-Qura University, where she hopes to find a fellow faculty member to partner with on her qualitative study. She acknowledges that she won’t be able to start surveying women right away because of their modesty. “I will settle in for a few months and then start to make friends and go from there,” Salman said. “I don’t anticipate any problems. I speak the language, which helps, and I am Muslim, so I know the religion and the culture very well.”

Besides her research, Salman said she’ll offer to do both faculty and student workshops at Umm al-Qura University. “You have to educate women there, especially nursing and health professionals, in order to raise awareness,” said Salman.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.