[Age, health beliefs, and attendance to a mammography screening program in the community of Valencia].
BACKGROUND
Age has a significant bearing on health beliefs related to participating in breast cancer screening programs. This study is aimed at analyzing the breast cancer-related beliefs and attitudes influencing screening program participation among different age groups.


METHODS
In a transversal study, a comparison is drawn between the health-related beliefs of a group of women participating in a screening program and a group of non-participating women, taking into account three age ranges (under age 50 (N = 279), 50-60 age range (N = 463), and over age 60 (N = 271).


RESULTS
Some variables significantly differ between the participating and non-participating women solely in certain subgroups: perceived severity (50-60 age group: F = 5.14; p < 0.01); perceived benefits (under age 50: F = 8, 18; p < 0.01; over age 60: F = 4.54; p < .05); mammogram-related attitude (under age 50: F = 56.67; p? .001; over age 60: F = 18.42; p < 0.001); professional health checkups (under age 50: F = 11.30: p < 0.01) and luck or chance (under age 50: F = 3.78; p < 0.05; 50-60 age group: F = 4.29; p < 0.001). More specific beliefs, assessed by items from these scales, are also statistically significant (p < 0.05), although only for certain age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Women's breast cancer prevention program participation related beliefs and/or attitudes differ in terms of their age.
Andreu Vaillo
Yolanda
Y
Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Valencia Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21 46010 Valencia. yolanda.andreu@uv.es
Galdón Garrido
M José
MJ
Durá Ferrandis
Estrella
E
Carretero Gómez
Stephanie
S
Tuells Hernández
José
J
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires