Abstract
Purpose: This study's purpose is to describe and explain how women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer make screening mammography decisions. Design: A qualitative design based on grounded theory. This purposeful sample consisted of 23 women 55 years of age or older with one more first-degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer. Method: Open-ended interviews were conducted with 23 women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer using a semistructured interview guide. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to identify the conditions, actions, and consequences associated with participant's screening mammography decision making. Findings: Women reported becoming aware of their breast cancer risk usually due to a triggering event such as having a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, resulting in women "guarding against cancer." Women's actions included having mammograms, getting health check-ups, having healthy behaviors, and being optimistic. Most women reported extraordinary faith in mammography, often ignoring negative mammogram information. A negative mammogram gave women peace of mind and assurance that breast cancer was not present. Being called back for additional mammograms caused worry, especially with delayed results. Conclusions: The "guarding against cancer" theory needs to be tested in other at-risk populations and ultimately used to test strategies that promote cancer screening decision making and the adoption of screening behaviors in those at increased risk for developing cancer. Clinical Relevance: Women 55 years of age and older with a breast cancer family history need timely mammogram results, mammography reminders, and psychosocial support when undergoing a mammography recall or other follow-up tests.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 348-356 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Nursing Scholarship |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2010 |
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Keywords
- Breast cancer
- Breast cancer screening
- Breast screening
- Decision making
- Family history
- Grounded theory
- Mammography
- Qualitative research
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nursing(all)
Cite this
Mammography decision making in older women with a breast cancer family history. / Greco, Karen E.; Nail, Lillian; Kendall, Judy; Cartwright, Juliana; Messecar, Deborah.
In: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Vol. 42, No. 3, 09.2010, p. 348-356.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mammography decision making in older women with a breast cancer family history
AU - Greco, Karen E.
AU - Nail, Lillian
AU - Kendall, Judy
AU - Cartwright, Juliana
AU - Messecar, Deborah
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - Purpose: This study's purpose is to describe and explain how women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer make screening mammography decisions. Design: A qualitative design based on grounded theory. This purposeful sample consisted of 23 women 55 years of age or older with one more first-degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer. Method: Open-ended interviews were conducted with 23 women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer using a semistructured interview guide. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to identify the conditions, actions, and consequences associated with participant's screening mammography decision making. Findings: Women reported becoming aware of their breast cancer risk usually due to a triggering event such as having a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, resulting in women "guarding against cancer." Women's actions included having mammograms, getting health check-ups, having healthy behaviors, and being optimistic. Most women reported extraordinary faith in mammography, often ignoring negative mammogram information. A negative mammogram gave women peace of mind and assurance that breast cancer was not present. Being called back for additional mammograms caused worry, especially with delayed results. Conclusions: The "guarding against cancer" theory needs to be tested in other at-risk populations and ultimately used to test strategies that promote cancer screening decision making and the adoption of screening behaviors in those at increased risk for developing cancer. Clinical Relevance: Women 55 years of age and older with a breast cancer family history need timely mammogram results, mammography reminders, and psychosocial support when undergoing a mammography recall or other follow-up tests.
AB - Purpose: This study's purpose is to describe and explain how women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer make screening mammography decisions. Design: A qualitative design based on grounded theory. This purposeful sample consisted of 23 women 55 years of age or older with one more first-degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer. Method: Open-ended interviews were conducted with 23 women 55 years of age and older with a family history of breast cancer using a semistructured interview guide. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to identify the conditions, actions, and consequences associated with participant's screening mammography decision making. Findings: Women reported becoming aware of their breast cancer risk usually due to a triggering event such as having a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, resulting in women "guarding against cancer." Women's actions included having mammograms, getting health check-ups, having healthy behaviors, and being optimistic. Most women reported extraordinary faith in mammography, often ignoring negative mammogram information. A negative mammogram gave women peace of mind and assurance that breast cancer was not present. Being called back for additional mammograms caused worry, especially with delayed results. Conclusions: The "guarding against cancer" theory needs to be tested in other at-risk populations and ultimately used to test strategies that promote cancer screening decision making and the adoption of screening behaviors in those at increased risk for developing cancer. Clinical Relevance: Women 55 years of age and older with a breast cancer family history need timely mammogram results, mammography reminders, and psychosocial support when undergoing a mammography recall or other follow-up tests.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Breast cancer screening
KW - Breast screening
KW - Decision making
KW - Family history
KW - Grounded theory
KW - Mammography
KW - Qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956107514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77956107514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2010.01335.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2010.01335.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 20738746
AN - SCOPUS:77956107514
VL - 42
SP - 348
EP - 356
JO - Journal of Nursing Scholarship
JF - Journal of Nursing Scholarship
SN - 1527-6546
IS - 3
ER -