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Results for “Breast Self-Examination”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of basic preventive health practices and mass media on the practice of breast self-examination.

To assess factors that affected utilization of breast self-examination in 160 women enrolled in masters degree programs--in nursing and in programs outside of health disciplines--a questionnaire sought information about 1) the relationship between practice of six basic preventive health measures and practice of breast self-examination, and 2) changes which occurred in women's practices of breast self-examination subsequent to the October 1974 mass media coverage of Mrs. Betty Ford's mastectomy. Descriptive data about other factors that influenced women's practice of breast self-examination were obtained. Findings indicated a relationship between positive practice of breast self-examination and positive practices of other preventive health measures in women of health and nonhealth orientation up to 35 years of age and under, but not in those over 35 years of age. Significantly increased breast self-examination practices in women of all ages were reported following Mrs. Ford's mastectomy. Implications favorable to the early detection of breast disease are suggested.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Breast self-examinations: who does them and why.

In a population of 158 women with a breast concern, two-thirds examined their own breasts. Most examiners (80%) practiced breast self-examination at least once a month, and over 60% had been regular examiners for more than 2 years. No significant difference in frequency of breast self-examination was found between women who had been examiners for longer and shorter time periods. Examiners had two main reasons for beginning and continuing breast self-examination: (1) an awareness that it is desirable to detect breast cancer early and (2) an awareness that they themselves could get breast cancer, while nonexaminers tended to deny this possibility. Therefore, to become examiners, nonexaminers may need to be convinced not only that early detection is effective but also that they too are at risk of breast cancer. The importance of informing, but not alarming, women about their breast cancer risk is discussed.

Adult↗

The mammography controversy: a case for breast self-examination.

More and more nurses are held legally accountable for their practice. The mammography controversy and the directives in the NIH guidelines must be taken into account by nurses because of their implications for preventive health care and early detection of breast cancer. Mortality rates from breast cancer are high enough that the importance of regular, competent BSE by women cannot be overestimated. Nursing is in an ideal position within the health care delivery system to promote BSE. In the meantime, the answer to the question of whether to use mammography as a routine screening device for asymptomatic women under age 50 can only come from research that is designed to demonstrate the relative risks and benefits of the procedure for this age group.

Adult↗

[Findings on the knowledge of self-examination of the breast].

A research on the degree of knowledge about the problem of breast self-examination was carried out in a group of 500 women in the Out-patients Department of the Cancer Institute in Milan. The women were given a questionnaire to fill up at home and to return at the moment of the medical examination. The analysis of data showed that, though the level of education of the subjects was fairly good, the knowledge and the practise of the periodical self-examination as a method for an early diagnosis was very low. 70% of the women declared to have some knowledge about the method, but only 9% declared to practise it regularly.

Breast↗

Increased incidence of breast carcinoma in patients with irradiation for post-partum mastitis: a screening situation.

In Rochester, New York, 606 women were treated with ionizing radiation for post-partum mastitis, mostly between 1940 and 1955. Two-thirds of all breasts were treated, the average dose per breast being 377 rads (at 2.5 cm breast depth). Mammographic examinations were performed on 265 of these women still residing in this vicinity. Two nonpalpable carcinomas (with no axillary node metastases) were found in the twelve breast lesions that have been biopsied. Some of the biopsies revealed premalignant changes. It is recommended that women in this high-risk category have close medical supervision, as well as periodic mammographic evaluation, and that the importance of periodic breast self-examinations should be emphasized.

Adult↗

Screening for breast cancer: the role of mammography.

The early diagnosis of breast cancer by screening is a relatively new development in medical practice and its enthusiastic acceptance needs to be tempered by an appraisal of the costs, the risks and the potential benefits. No case can be made at present for screening well women under the age of 50 years, when such screening includes mammography. With the exception of women who have already had cancer in one breast, it is likely that those women under 50 with the associated "risk factors" are better managed by careful attention to breast self-examination and more frequent physical examinations. Provided that the radiation dose is less than one rad per examination, the benefits to women over 50 outweigh the risks of radiation-induced breast cancer. Against this must be placed the very large cost to the community of screening programmes and the relatively low additional benefits gained by incorporation of mammography into the screening process.

Adult↗

Community education about cancer.

Telling people what they should do to guard against cancer does not necessarily produce the desired changes in attitude and behaviour. It is necessary to take account of the factors that obstruct these changes. Fear of cancer induces some people to employ psychological defences that might relieve their anxiety, but divert them from medical care. General practitioners can either "turn on" or "turn off" the community education process by the stance they adopt towards the recommendations made in educational programmes. Failur to sensitively appraise the patient's motives and feeling when seeking advice about a publicized cancer "warning sign" can both hurt the patient deter him from developing habits of early reporting. Preventive programmes of cervical cytology, instruction in breast self-examination and smoking advice can quite readily be initiated in general practice. The various media of communication in cancer education should be carefully selected and targeted. Since doctors are generally accepted as experts on health matters, their apparent undue pessimism about cancer prognosis is unfortunate. On the other hand, their low smoking rate sets a helathy example for patients to follow.

Attitude to Health↗

Reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy for cancer.

General surgeons are taking a more active role in the treatment of all the problems which face the patient who undergoes mastectomy. For many of these women, an important part of their adjustment is achieved by reconstruction of the breast. The number of women requesting reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy is increasing, and more women faced with mastectomy are asking their general surgeons for information about the procedure. It is hoped that as reconstruction of the breast becomes more widely appreciated, women will be encouraged to perform more frequent self-examinations and to seek earlier treatment of carcinoma of the breast. It is tempting to speculate that one ultimate benefit may be an improvement in the survival figures associated with this disease.

Breast↗