title: [Do members of self-help groups know more about breast cancer?].
abstract: The knowledge of patients about their disease is a precondition for actively participating in decisions on treatment and aftercare. Self-help groups consider themselves as important intermediate agents for conveying disease-related information, but the health-promoting effects of such groups have not yet been studied in much detail. Using a newly developed self-administered questionnaire it was examined whether breast cancer patients involved in self-help groups differ from non-members with respect to their level of knowledge on disease, prevention and after-care. Moreover we considered the influence of age and education on the knowledge on disease. 216 women completed the questionnaire in the presence of an interviewer. Members of self-help groups had a higher level of knowledge than non-members, and this refers to all aspects covered by the questionnaire. Younger women in general had a higher knowledge than older ones, the same holds for higher educational levels. The duration of the disease and the length of membership in self-help groups had no effects on levels of knowledge. Particularly middle-aged women (45 - 59 yrs.) and women with 10 years of schooling profited from a membership. After controlling for education and membership in self-help groups still had a significant impact on knowledge. Since only a minority of patients is willing to be engaged in self-help groups, more effort should be devoted to conveying information in post-treatment care.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Soziologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kühner
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fietkau
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruns
authors.forename: Dagmar Villarroel
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires