The effect of verbal information on the experience of discomfort in mammography

Abstract

Purpose : Discomfort experienced during mammography is a factor associated with non-participation of women in breast screening programmes. Women’s expectations of discomfort have been found to be related to the actual experiences of discomfort reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of verbal information given prior to the examination on women’s expectations of discomfort and on actual discomfort experienced.Method : The study involved 136 attendees at the Central and Eastern Sydney BreastScreen Service, Sydney, Australia for routine breast screening by mammography. Prior to the mammogram, expectations of discomfort were recorded. Half of the women (68) were verbally provided with the prior outlined information about the procedure, the importance of the compression and the associated slight discomfort (experimental group). The other half (68) completed the procedure routinely without such information (control group). After the procedure, all the participants were asked to report the levels of actual discomfort they experienced. By comparing the responses of women in the experimental and control groups, the effects of the verbal information were evaluated.Results : A significant difference was found between the two groups in the relationship between levels of discomfort experienced and levels of expectations (P value=0.007).Conclusions : The results of this study indicated that verbal information had a significant effect on reducing the levels of discomfort experienced by reducing the expectations of discomfort of the women. This effect was more pronounced in the first time attendees. Further research is suggested.