Does health status influence intention regarding screening mammography?
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed information surveyed from a community-based sample of Korean women older than 40 years of age to understand the relationships between health status and screening behavior.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional population-based study, a two-stage, geographically stratified household-based sampling design was used for assembly of a probability sample of women aged 40-69 years living in Gunpo in Korea, resulting in a total sample size of 503 women. The primary outcome variable for this analysis was the respondent's intention to obtain a mammogram. Predictor variables included health status and other factors known to influence the use of cancer screening, such as age, education, income, marital status and the presence of co-morbid illnesses. Health status was assessed by using the EuroQol (EQ-5D).


RESULTS
The median EQ visual analogue scale score was 75.0, ranging from 20 to 100. In bivariate analyses, the percentage of women reporting to have intention toward mammography use decreased with worsening health status. Women who had problems with mobility or anxiety/depression showed lower intention to undergo future screening mammography. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that health status was significantly associated with intention toward mammography use. Anxiety or depression was an independent predictor of future screening mammography use.


CONCLUSIONS
Health status is significantly associated with intention regarding screening mammography use. Physicians or other health professionals should be aware that health status is an important component for health promotion, and should pay more attention to clients' possible vulnerability in screening mammography use due to their poor health status.
Park
Keeho
K
Cancer Information and Education Branch, National Cancer Center, 809 Madu 1-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 410-769, Korea. park.keeho@gmail.com
Park
Jong-Hyock
JH
Park
Jae-Hyun
JH
Kim
Hui Jeong
HJ
Park
Bo Yoon
BY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis