The effect of mental distress on women's preventive health behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between mental distress and preventive health behaviors (i.e., mammograms, pap tests, physical exams) among women.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design was employed. The sample consisted of 426 women from the Appalachian region in the United States who completed a comprehensive health survey. Mental distress was assessed by the 5-item Mental Health Index (MHI). Logistic regression was used to specify the models allowing for the control of covariates (i.e., marital status, education, recipient of Medicaid).


RESULTS
Women who reported high mental distress were more likely to not get timely pap tests [OR = 1.64; 95% CI (1.10, 2.45); p < .05] or physical exams [OR = 1.68; 95% CI (1.07, 2.65); p < .05] than women who did not report being mentally distressed. A similar but less robust relationship was found between mental distress and timely mammograms.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that mental distress affects the likelihood of engagement in preventive health behaviors.
Leiferman
Jenn A
JA
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Center for Pediatric Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 855 West Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510-1001, USA. leiferja@chkd.org
Pheley
Alfred M
AM
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*