Breast self-examination and breast examination by a health care provider: prevalence and predictors of screening in a randomly selected sample of Australian women.
Professional organizations recommend the practice of monthly breast self-examination (BSE), and examination of the breasts by a health care provider every three years for women up to the age of 40 and annually thereafter. These practices were examined in a randomly selected sample of 1454 women. Only 39% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36%-42%) of the sample reported monthly BSE. Women were more likely to examine their breasts each month if they had found a breast lump, believed they were likely to get breast cancer, were not single, or were frequent users of general practitioners. Only 51% (95% CI, 45%-53%) of women under the age of 40 reported receiving three-yearly breast examinations; of those women aged 40 or more, 31% (CI, 27%-35%) of those with no additional risk factors and 35% (95% CI, 27%-42%) of those with at least one additional risk factor reported annual examinations. Women were more likely to have received a breast examination in the past three years if they had previously had a breast lump, were not single, had reached a higher educational level, were more frequent users of general practitioners, had private health insurance, or were described as other than ill or retired. There was a substantial association between BSE and breast examination by a health care provider with 25% (95% CI, 23%-27%) practising BSE and being screened by a health care provider. Thirty-five per cent (95% CI, 32%-38%) of women were not being screened by either method. The implications of the results for health education campaigns are discussed.
Redman
S
S
Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, NSW.
Reid
A L
AL
Campbell
E
E
Sanson-Fisher
R W
RW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010173:Palpation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation