title: Adherence to mammography and colorectal cancer screening in women 50-80 years of age the role of psychological distress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of women's attitudes and health beliefs regarding breast and colorectal cancer screening practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine hundred five women, 50 to 80 years of age, were recruited from 63 randomly selected physician offices within the greater Los Angeles area. The Health Belief Model was used to evaluate potential predictor variables associated with patients' breast and colorectal cancer screening practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study results revealed that mammographic screening compliance was relatively high (70%), whereas only 29% of the patients were compliant with fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening guidelines. Women were far more likely to obtain regular mammography screening than an FOBT. Psychological distress had one of the strongest, negative associations with breast cancer and colorectal cancer screening, and was also a prevalent predictor for many of the variables examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological distress seems to negatively impact a patient's decision to adhere to breast cancer and colorectal cancer screening recommendations, although participants were far more likely to obtain regular mammography screening than an FOBT.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Department of Health Services Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Suzy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: M Robin
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dimatteo
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Cameron R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Obrzut
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health