title: Assessing elements of women's decisions about mammography.
abstract: We investigated motivational and cognitive processes of behavior change with respect to mammography screening. One hundred forty-two women (ages 40 and older) recruited from three worksites answered a 41-item questionnaire consisting of statements based on constructs from the transtheoretical model of behavior change. Principal-components analysis identified two factors: a six-item component representing positive perceptions of mammography (Pros) and a six-item component representing avoidance of mammography (Cons). Analysis of variance showed that Pros, Cons, and a derived Decisional Balance measure (Pros minus Cons) were associated with stage of mammography adoption. Results are consistent with applications of the model to smoking cessation. The model is also discussed as it relates to other theories of behavior change and as a general strategy for analyzing perceptual data pertinent to health-related actions and intentions for behavioral change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dube
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Prochaska
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Velicer
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Abrams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003625:Data Collection; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires