Cultural Influences on the Receipt of Breast Reconstruction: A Scoping Review

Postmastectomy breast reconstruction can provide breast cancer patients with lasting psychosocial, functional, and body image benefits. Although sociodemographic factors affecting the receipt of breast reconstruction have been well studied, the cultural factors influencing patients' decisions to undergo breast reconstruction remain unclear. There are currently no reviews on cultural factors influencing breast reconstruction decision-making. This scoping review aimed to broadly evaluate the current literature on cultural factors that influence the receipt of breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients who have undergone mastectomies.

A combination of keywords and subject headings was used to search for articles related to breast reconstruction and decision-making. Databases were searched from inception to November 20, 2023. Screening was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews guidelines, and quantitative studies examining the receipt of breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients following mastectomy were evaluated for inclusion.

Of the 4520 studies that were screened, 61 were included in the final review. The majority of studies included in the review were retrospective and performed in the United States. Included studies were evaluated for cultural influences on the receipt of breast reconstruction. Six themes emerged across the included studies: race and ethnicity, language and communication barriers, education and literacy, cultural competency, patient perceptions, and family and relationships.

In addition to well-established influences on breast reconstruction such as race and ethnicity, this review broadly identified additional cultural factors that influence patients' decisions to undergo breast reconstruction.