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    Health and health belief factors associated with screening and help-seeking behaviours for breast cancer symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the European evidence

    Grimley, C.E. and Kato, P.M. and Grunfeld, Elizabeth (2020) Health and health belief factors associated with screening and help-seeking behaviours for breast cancer symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the European evidence. British Journal of Health Psychology 25 (1), pp. 107-128. ISSN 1359-107X.

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    Abstract

    Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to identify health or health belief factors associated with mammography attendance or with self-initiated medical help-seeking for breast cancer symptoms among women in Europe. Methods: Five databases were searched for articles published between 2005 and 2018. Meta-analyses were conducted for 13 factors related to screening attendance and two factors associated with help-seeking behaviour. Where there were too few studies to include in the meta-analysis a narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: Sixty-five studies were included. Never having had cervical screening (d=-0.72, p<0.001) and higher perceived barriers to mammography (d=-0.40, p<0.001) were associated with lower levels of screening attendance. Possessing health insurance (d=0.49, p<0.001), greater perceived benefits (d=0.31, p<0.001) and motivation (d=0.36, p=0.003) towards screening, and higher perceived seriousness (d=0.24, p=0.019) and susceptibility (d=0.20, p=0.024) towards breast cancer were associated with a higher level of screening attendance. Presenting with a non-lump symptom was associated with a longer time to presentation (d=0.32, p<0.001). The narrative synthesis revealed that previous benign breast disease was associated with a higher level of screening attendance but with a longer time to presentation. Conclusions: The review identified key similarities in factors associated with screening and help-seeking behaviours which offer scope for combined interventions aimed at women that target both behaviours. Furthermore, the review highlighted that fewer studies have focused on help-seeking behaviour, despite two thirds of breast cancer cases being self-detected. Future research should further examine predictors of help-seeking behaviour including a focus on modifiable factors, such as BMI, and physical activity.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the article, which has been published in final form at the link above. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Breast cancer, screening, mammography, help-seeking, meta-analysis
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences
    Research Centres and Institutes: Medical Humanities, Centre for
    Depositing User: Beth Grunfeld
    Date Deposited: 12 Nov 2019 15:31
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:55
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/29831

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