The influence of a false-positive mammogram on a woman's subsequent behaviour for detecting breast cancer.
The aim was to investigate the influence of undergoing further examinations due to a false-positive mammogram on women's re-attendance at the next scheduled screening and their frequency of breast self-examination (BSE). Study participants included 517 women (62% response) recalled due to findings on screening mammograms indicating possible malignancies, and a matched control group of 285 women (68% response) with normal mammograms. Participants completed five and three questionnaires, respectively, during the 2 years following screening participation. While the groups did not differ significantly in screening re-attendance, women recalled due to false-positive mammograms reported significantly higher levels of anxiety related to the next screening than did women with normal mammograms. At the 1-year assessment, women with false-positive mammograms reported a significantly higher frequency of BSE than did women with normal mammograms. The present results indicate that being recalled due to a false-positive mammogram does not seem to negatively affect screening re-attendance, and may have a positive impact on BSE.
Lampic
C
C
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Section of Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, SE 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden. claudia.lampic@pubcare.uu.se
Thurfjell
E
E
Sjödén
P-O
PO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology