The influence of socio-demographic factors on making a decision related to the disease and treatment in women with breast cancer
Journal Title: OncoReview - Year 2015, Vol 5, Issue 3
Abstract
Introduction. Socio-demographic factors may affect the decision making associated with the disease and the long-term results of treatment.Objective. Exploring the relationship between socio-demographic factors of women treated for breast cancer and decision- making associated with the disease and treatment.Material and methods. The study involved 100 women aged 30 to 72 (mean: 57 years) who were treated at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz in 2013–2014 due to breast cancer. A survey questionnaire on socio-demographic factors and data on knowledge about prevention and disease was used in the study.Results. The number of women performing breast self-examination decreased with age; 83% of patients over 50 years old and 76% (p = 0.0001) over 69 years old underwent mainly mammography (p = 0.03). Self-detection of breast tumor also decreased with age and was detected more frequently by the medical personnel (p = 0.0001). More educated women (85%) examined themselves more often than those with primary and vocational education (p = 0.001). According to our assessment, the number of women with knowledge about cancer decreased with age (p = 0.004). The same was true for women in a very good and good financial situation, with 94% of them declaring a higher knowledge level (p = 0.001).Conclusions. Women’s knowledge about breast cancer is not satisfactory, especially in older and less educated women. They obtain knowledge from the Internet mainly and from the medical staff in the smallest degree. Young women up to 49 years of age perform self-examination to detect breast cancer most often, while older women use mammography. Almost all women immediately report to the doctor and are admitted to clinics after detecting lesions with mammography or self-examination.
Authors and Affiliations
Andrzej Nowicki, Kamila Wiśniewska, Piotr Rhone
Keywords
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- EP ID EP78723
- DOI 10.5604/20828691.1171800
- Views 220
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