Unhappily, Ludmilla is typical of Russian-speaking immigrants, according to a recently released study by Bar-Ilan University. Although Russian immigrant women are among the highest-risk group for breast cancer, they are among the least likely Jewish women in Israel to have breast examinations. Only a third of them have regular examinations, according to the Israel Health Ministry.
To correct these dire statistics, Hadassah-Israel, the Israeli affiliate of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is launching a nationwide campaign to improve the breast health of Russian-speaking women.
Russian women actually know about the need for breast examination, so knowledge isn’t the real problem, said Dr. Larissa Remnick, a researcher on women’s health at Bar-Ilan University who authored the study. “There is a gap between knowledge and actually making the appointment. One of the barriers for Russian women is that most surgeons in Israel are men. In Russia, they were women. Having a man check their breasts is new and often awkward for Russian women.”
Volunteers at Hadassah-Israel are providing educational material, free breast examinations with Russian-speaking women doctors and nurses, and a public awareness campaign to encourage immigrants to take responsibility for their own health.
For reasons not yet clear, the average age of breast cancer sufferers in Israel is dropping, according to Professor Tamar Peretz, head of the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Organization.
“Early detection remains the only reliable weapon we have,” said Peretz. “Mammography is a proven tool in fighting breast cancer.”
Because the former Soviet Union often speeded up the exit visas of women diagnosed with breast cancer, the number of Russian women with the disease may be even higher than among other Israeli women, who have a high incidence of breast cancer, 90 out of 100,000. In addition, factors like a high-fat diet and exposure to radiation may increase risk.
The women who are at highest risk — over age 60 — are least likely to be checked because they don’t speak Hebrew and are less well-integrated into society.
“We haven’t found the right language to approach immigrants,” said Yuli Tamir, the Minister of Absorption. “Sending a postcard in Russian isn’t going to do the trick. We’re hoping that Hadassah-Israel’s campaign will be a turning point.”