The relationship between medical students' locus of control and promotion of breast self-examination

Abstract

There is general agreement that medical school curricula should involve the teaching of preventive health behaviours. Locus of control is a personality variable that has been associated with health practices and may be associated with tendencies to promote health practices. Few significant relationships have been found correlating health locus of control beliefs with preventive health behaviours. This study investigated the health locus of control of medical students and their tendencies to talk about and teach breast self-examination to women patients. Women students' health locus of control and breast self-examination practices were also investigated. The authors conclude that health locus of control has little influence on the tendency of medical students to promote breast self-examination. Other factors apparently have more effect on the student doctor's tendencies to promote health practices.

Cancer awareness and self-examination practices in young men and women

“…Other investigators (Bundek et al, 1993) suggest that internal health locus of control beliefs predict breast self-examination, although the data on this issue are mixed (see Alagna and Reddy, 1984;Krietler et al, 1990;Smith et al, 1990). Social support (Cohen and Syme, 1985;House et al, 1988) and self-efficacy beliefs (Bandura, 1977;Maddux, 1993;O'Leary, 1985) may also play an important role in health-related decisions and actions.…”

Características individuais e aprendizagem

“…A autora conclui que os estudantes avaliados, independentemente de escolaridade e sexo, apresentaram, na Escala de Locus de Controle, um perfil que se caracterizou pela predominância da percepção da internalidade como fonte de controle dos eventos, apresentando, em nível menor, a crença em variáveis externas, e, no acaso, como fonte de controle dos conhecimentos. No estudo realizado por Smith et al 14 , os estudantes demonstraram uma diminuição da variável internalidade no decorrer do curso, no entanto, ela ainda se manteve como predominante.…”

Preparing medical students to counsel for smoking cessation

“…While a majority of physicians indicate smoking cessation is an important issue to address with patients (Smith, Lancaster, Delhenem, & Fleming, 2002), it does not appear many physicians actually provide smoking cessation counseling (Swan et al, 2003).…”

“…A majority of physicians believe smoking cessation is an important issue to address with patients (Smith et al, 2002). However, counseling rates to reduce or eliminate smoking are often low among providers (Swan et al, 2003).…”

“…As previously stated, tobacco use is a national health care crisis in which health care professionals are keenly poised to intervene. Physicians repeatedly state that Preparing Medical Students 51 assessing for smoking is critical (Smith et al, 2002). However, at the same time, they frequently indicate that counseling patients for smoking cessation is not feasible or even helpful (Swan et al, 2003).…”