FACTORS RELATED TO BREAST SCREENING PRACTICES IN WOMEN AGED 65 TO 90 (MAMMOGRAPHY).
Contributors: University Of Illinois At Chicago, Health Sciences Center.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 191
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women, and its incidence rises with age. Yet, breast cancer is almost 100 percent curable when detected in its early stages. Despite this fact there are many indications that older women neglect this aspect of their health. This study measured age, social support, self-esteem, health motivation and knowledge/attitudes as they relate to three breast cancer screening measures (mammography, physical exam of the breast, and breast self-examination) in older women. Face-to-face interviews with 124 community-based white women, ages 65 to 90, were conducted either in the women's homes or senior centers. Structured and semi-structured questions comprised the investigator made instrument, the Breast Health Index, which was used to obtain scores on knowledge, attitudes and practices related to breast screening. All five variables (age, social support, self-esteem, health motivation and knowledge/attitudes), explained 48% of the total variance related to breast screening practices in the standard multiple regression equation. Knowledge/attitudes was the only independent variable to account for a significant portion of the total variance. Discriminate analysis correctly classified 75.8% of the subjects into high and low practice groups with knowledge/attitudes as the only significant predictor variable. Descriptive data helped to clarify the findings. This study's findings support the idea that knowledge and attitudes about breast cancer screening may significantly influence breast screening practices in community-based white women age 65 to 90. While these data need validation with larger samples and different populations, findings of this nature add to a beginning body of knowledge about breast cancer screening and older women. Nurses need this type of information to diagnose problems, identify strategies, test interventions, and develop programs to encourage utilization of breast cancer screeningmeasures.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-08, Section: B, page: 4028.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, 1992.

School code: 0806.