Health Beliefs and Perceptions of Women Presenting or Not Presenting for Mammographic Screening in a Rural Health Setting

Abstract

Breast cancer continues to be a major health concern among Australian women. Recently, free mammography screening has been offered as a joint State and Commonwealth initiative to enable early detection. This program has particular significance in rural areas where access to health-care facilities, particularly those of a specialist nature, is limited. Attendance for screening is critical to the success of this type of program. Several lines of evidence suggest that health beliefs play a major role in compliance with recommended health behaviour. The present study investigated the role of five health beliefs: response efficacy, seriousness, concern, susceptibility and barriers to the likelihood of attending the North Coast Breast Screening Program in northern NSW. A questionnaire that measured these health beliefs was completed by 127 women who attended breast screening and 185 women who knew about the service but had not attended. Compared with those who had not undergone mammography, those presenting for screening were more health conscious, more likely to have had a mammography previously, more aware that mammography reduced the risk of developing severe breast cancer and less concerned about having a mammogram. A number of barriers to having a mammogram were also identified. The present study raises a number of concerns regarding the level of knowledge about breast self-examination and mammography as important preventive health measures among women in a rural setting.

Anticancer Potency and Multidrug‐Resistant Studies of Self‐Assembled Arene–Ruthenium Metallarectangles

“…Positive experience in the trial could be one reason. Ever having had a mammogram before seem to promote attendance20, 21, 22, 23, 24 that could be due to better information on the benefits of screening, or a history of breast problems and a positive experience of mammography and hence an interest in having regular check‐ups. Having had a recent mammography examination outside the screening program or a diagnostic mammogram because of symptoms from the breasts shortly before an invitation to screening, however, can also be a reason for non‐attendance 25, 26…”

“I Come Because I Am Called”: Recruitment and Participation in Mammography Screening in Uppsala, Sweden

“…The issues surrounding breast screening participation are most commonly researched by examining why women do not participate, rather than why they do (e.g., Johansson & Berterö, 2003;Speedy & Hase, 2000). Additionally, much research into breast screening participation focuses on psychological models of decision making (Barron et al, 2005;Siegler, Feaganes, & Rimer, 1995;Wardle & Pope, 1992).…”

Understanding the use of breast cancer screening services by women with intellectual disabilities

“…Despite the benefits of breast cancer screening, a significant proportion of the eligible population choose not to use these services, most of which are free or subsidised. Reasons not to attend screening include lack of encouragement by physicians (Grady et al 1992;Nosek & Howland 1997;Miller et al 1998;George 2000), lack of perceived risk (Orton et al 1991;George 2000;Speedy & Hase 2000), fear (Thompson et al 1997), embarrassment (Orton et al 1991;Nosek & Howland 1997), inconvenience (Speedy & Hase 2000), insensitivity of health care workers (Nosek & Howland 1997;Thompson et al 1997;Williams et al 1997), pain or discomfort (Keemers-Gels et al 2000;Andrews 2001;Sapir et al 2003), physical disability (Nosek & Howland 1997), residence in a nursing home and dementia (Marwill et al 1996). Women with intellectual disabilities are among the least frequent users of screening mammography (Cowie & Fletcher 1998;Piachaud & Rohde 1998;Davies & Duff 2001), perhaps because the standard recruitment strategies are not suitable.…”