[The factors associated with changes in the stage of breast cancer screening behavior among the women who are eligible for the Korean National Cancer Screening Program].
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate the relationships between psychosocial characteristics and changes in the stage of breast cancer screening behavior.


METHODS
The 474 study subjects were randomly sampled from 21,459 women (age range, 40-70 years) who were eligible for the Korean National Cancer Screening Program in 2006 in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do. The information, including behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy, was collected by trained interviewers via home visits. The breast cancer screening stages were grouped as precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance and relapse, according to Rakowski.


RESULTS
Of the 474 women, 18.8% were in the precontemplation stage, 23.3% were in the contemplation stage, 13.1% were in the action stage, 36.6% were in the maintenance stage, and 8.2% were in the relapse stage. The distribution of stages was associated with attitude, subjective norms and self-efficacy (p for trend<0.01). To investigate the overall relationship between the variables, we conducted a linear structural equation model analysis based on the theory of planned behavior. The subjective norms and self-efficacy influenced the stage of the women's screening behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
We should target on self-efficacy about the screening behavior of women by performing timely, thoughtful interventions. The support from family members, friends and other people is crucial for women to undergo breast cancer screening and to improve the breast cancer screening rate.
Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea.
Hyo-Kyung
HK
Son
Sin
S
Kam
Ki-Soo
KS
Park
Jang-Rak
JR
Kim
Rock-Bum
RB
Kim
Sun-Kyun
SK
Park
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007723:Korea; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health