title: Community-based intervention to promote breast cancer awareness and screening: the Korean experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are many differences in culture, community identity, community participation, and ownership between communities in Western and Asian countries; thus, it is difficult to adopt the results of community intervention studies from Western countries. In this study, we conducted a multicity, multicomponent community intervention trial to correct breast cancer myths and promote screening mammography for women living in an urban community in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 6-month, 2-city community intervention trial was conducted. In the intervention city, 480 women were surveyed at baseline and 7 months later to evaluate the effects of the intervention program. Strategies implemented in the intervention city included community outreach and clinic and pharmacy-based in-reach strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study showed a 20.4-percentage-point decrease in myths about the link between cancer and breast size, a 19.2-percentage-point decrease in myths concerning mammography costs, and a 14.1-percentage-point increase in intention to undergo screening mammography. We also saw a 23.4-percentage-point increase in the proportion of women at the action stage of the transtheoretical model in the intervention city. In the comparison city, smaller decreases and increases were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed the value of an intervention study aimed at reducing belief in breast cancer myths in an urban community in Korea. The invention also made women more likely to undergo mammography in future.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Information and Education Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea. park.keeho@gmail.com
authors.forename: Keeho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woi Hyun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Su Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kye
authors.forename: Euichul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Myung-hyun
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyeong Geun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D019058:Community Networks; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea