Cancer Screening Practices Of Women Research Articles

Effects of electronic personal health information technology on American women's cancer screening behaviors mediated through cancer worry: Differences and similarities between 2017 and 2020.

Thanks to their accessibility and low cost, electronic personal health information (ePHI) technologies have been widely used to facilitate patient-physician communication and promote health prevention behaviors (e.g. cancer screening). Despite that empirical evidence has supported the association between ePHI technology use and cancer screening behaviors, the underlying mechanism through which ePHI technology use influences cancer screening behaviors remains a topic of discussion. This study investigates the relationship between ePHI technology uses and cancer screening behaviors of American women and examines the mediating role of cancer worry. Data for this study were from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) collected in 2017 (HINTS 5 Cycle 1) and 2020 (HINTS 5 Cycle 4). The final sample included 1914 female respondents in HINTS 5 Cycle 1 and 2204 in HINTS 5 Cycle 4. Mann-Whitney U test, two-sample t-test, and mediation analysis were performed. We also referred to the regression coefficients generated by min-max normalization as percentage coefficients (bp) for the comparison. This study reports increased usage of ePHI technologies (from 1.41 in 2017 to 2.19 to 2020), increased cancer worry (from 2.60 in 2017 to 2.84 in 2020), and a stable level of cancer screening behaviors (from 1.44 in 2017 to 1.34 in 2020) among American women. Cancer worry was found to mediate the ePHI effect on cancer screening behaviors (bp = 0.005, 95% confidence interval [0.001, 0.010]) in a positive complementary mediation in 2020. The research findings support a positive association between ePHI technology use and cancer screening behaviors, and cancer worry has been identified as a salient mediator. An understanding of the mechanism that prompts US women's cancer screening practices provides practical implications for health campaign practitioners.

Determinants of Cancer Screening Practices of Women Over Age 55: What are the Perceived Barriers and Benefits of Breast Cancer Screening in Older Women?

Determinants of Cancer Screening Practices of Women Over Age 55: What are the Perceived Barriers and Benefits of Breast Cancer Screening in Older Women?

The burden of cancer risk in Canada's indigenous population: a comparative study of known risks in a Canadian region.

BackgroundCanadian First Nations, the largest of the Aboriginal groups in Canada, have had lower cancer incidence and mortality rates than non-Aboriginal populations in the past. This pattern is changing with increased life expectancy, a growing population, and a poor social environment that influences risk behaviors, metabolic conditions, and disparities in screening uptake. These factors alone do not fully explain differences in cancer risk between populations, as genetic susceptibility and environmental factors also have significant influence. However, genetics and environment are difficult to modify. This study compared modifiable behavioral risk factors and metabolic-associated conditions for men and women, and cancer screening practices of women, between First Nations living on-reserve and a non-First Nations Manitoba rural population (Canada).MethodsThe study used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and the Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey to examine smoking, binge drinking, metabolic conditions, physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and cancer-screening practices.ResultsFirst Nations on-reserve had significantly higher rates of smoking (P < 0.001), binge drinking (P < 0.001), obesity (P < 0.001) and diabetes (P < 0.001), and less leisure-time physical activity (P = 0.029), and consumption of fruits and vegetables (P < 0.001). Sex differences were also apparent. In addition, First Nations women reported significantly less uptake of mammography screening (P < 0.001) but similar rates for cervical cancer screening.ConclusionsBased on the findings of this retrospective study, the future cancer burden is expected to be high in the First Nations on-reserve population. Interventions, utilizing existing and new health and social authorities, and long-term institutional partnerships, are required to combat cancer risk disparities, while governments address economic disparities.

Childhood Cancer Survivors: Many Miss Mammograms Later in Life

Despite recommendations and being at an increased risk of breast cancer, most young women who were treated with chest radiation for a childhood cancer do not undergo appropriate mammography screening, according to a study in the January 28 issue of JAMA . Women treated with chest radiation for a pediatric malignancy face a significantly increased risk of breast cancer at a young age. “The risk of breast cancer begins to increase as early as eight years after radiation and the median [midpoint] age of breast cancer diagnosis ranges from 32 to 35 years,” the authors write. By age 45 years, it's estimated that from 12 percent to 20 percent of women treated with moderate- to high-dose chest radiation will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Experts recommend annual screening mammography for women exposed to moderate- to high-dose chest radiation, starting at 25 years of age or eight years after radiation, whichever occurs last. It's estimated that in the United States there are approximately 20,000 to 25,000 women who are 25 years or older and were treated for a pediatric malignancy with moderate- to high-dose chest radiation. There is limited published information regarding the breast cancer screening practices of women who were treated with chest radiation for a childhood malignancy, according to background information in the article.

Cervical cancer screening among Latinas recently immigrated to the United States

Background. Little is known about the cancer screening practices of women whose behavior may place them at a high risk for cervical cancer. We explored factors that influence repeated Pap smear screening among recently immigrated Latinas working in bars also called cantinas. Methods. Face-to-face interview were administered to 360 women working in 60 cantinas. Participants provided information about their cancer screening practices including the number of Pap smears completed in the 5 years before the interview. A theory-based model proposing that demographic characteristics, cancer screening barriers and facilitators, and psychosocial factors influence repeated Pap smear screening was tested with a hierarchical linear regression. Results. Facilitators of cancer screening (recent visit to a physician and receiving a Pap smear in a clinic) and psychosocial variables (Pap smear beliefs, cancer screening intentions and lack of encouragement) were significantly associated with the total number reported Pap smears (adjusted R 2 = 0.31, P < 0.0001). Cervical cancer risk behaviors were not significantly associated with repeated screening. Conclusions. While risk behaviors did not act as barriers, access to health care measures facilitated repeated Pap smear screening. Psychosocial factors hypothesized to function as antecedents of Pap smear screening appear instead to follow from repeated experience with the examination.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding breast cancer screening in educated Appalachian women.

To determine how and what women learn about breast cancer and screening practices and which factors influence women's breast cancer screening practices. Descriptive analysis of questionnaire data collected at the time of enrollment in a clinical trial. Breast care center of a mid-Atlantic academic health sciences center. 185 women in a predominantly Appalachian, entirely rural state. Participants completed the Modified Toronto Breast Self-Examination Inventory and questions related to personal mammography practices at the time of enrollment before randomization in a longitudinal clinical intervention study. Women's demographics, knowledge of breast cancer screening practices, adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines, and motivation, knowledge, and practice proficiency surrounding breast cancer screening. These educated women had knowledge deficits about breast cancer, breast cancer risk factors, and screening guidelines, particularly the timing and practice behaviors of breast self-examination. Women who had received healthcare and cancer-screening instruction by healthcare providers, including advanced practice nurses, had greater knowledge of breast cancer and detection practices. Women still have knowledge deficits about breast cancer, breast cancer detection, and personal risk factors. In addition, some educated women in this study failed to practice breast cancer screening according to current guidelines. Practitioners must continue to remind and update women about breast disease, and women's cancer-screening practices must be reinforced. All levels of providers should improve their rates of performing clinical breast examinations with physical examinations. Nurses, who greatly influence women's health care, must remain current in their knowledge of breast disease, screening, and treatment.

Breast and ovarian cancer screening practices in healthy women with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer.

Studies in women with a family history of cancer demonstrate a wide variability in the uptake of cancer screening measures. Little data exist regarding the breast and ovarian cancer screening practices of women who are members of hereditary breast cancer families. In order to address this issue, we examined the screening behaviors and the determinants of screening in a clinic based group of 216 women with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer who were participating in a free genetic counseling and testing research program. At baseline, prior to obtaining genetic counseling or testing, 50% of women ages 30-39, 83% of those age 40-49, 69% of those 50-64, and 53% of those >65 reported having a mammogram in the prior year. Adherence to mammography recommendations was correlated with age, number of relatives with breast cancer, and income. Twenty percent of participants had at least one CA- 125 performed and 31 % had ever obtained a screening ultrasound. Having at least one relative with ovarian cancer was very strongly associated with ovarian cancer screening [OR = 12.3, 95% CI = 4.6-33 for CA-125; OR=4.9, 95% CI=2.4, 10.1 for ultrasound]. No association between cancer worries/distress and either breast or ovarian cancer screening was found. In conclusion, the breast and ovarian screening uptake in healthy women from hereditary breast cancer families is suboptimal, even for women over age 50, for whom annual mammography is clearly indicated. These findings indicate a need for better education about screening guidelines for high-risk women.

Social and behavioural predictors of women's cancer screening practices in Northern Ireland

The aim of this study was to describe the extent of cancer screening practices among women resident in Northern Ireland and to identify the social and behavioural characteristics associated with these practices. The study involved a survey of adults resident in the community in Northern Ireland. Contact was made with a sample of 1162 residents who were asked to complete a questionnaire about preventive health practices and attitudes. This produced a response rate of 65.1 per cent. Of these, 391 were women who were asked questions about breast self-examination (BSE), attendance for cervical screening, and certain social and behavioural factors. Approximately 28 per cent of the women performed BSE regularly, a further 28 per cent performed it occasionally, and the remainder rarely or not at all. Almost 20 per cent of the women had had a smear test once, 48 per cent several times, and the rest never. Performance of BSE and attendance for smear tests and BSE was more common among those women aged 35-54 years, who were married, worked outside the home, and whose religion was Church of Ireland (Anglican). The most frequent reason given for not performing BSE was fear of finding a lump and ignorance of the procedure. The most frequent reason given for non-attendance for a smear test was that it was not thought necessary at their age. Public health strategies designed to promote cancer screening need to consider the value of directing their campaigns at those who are most reluctant to perform these practices.