Community-based intervention to promote breast cancer awareness and screening: the Korean experience

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, multicom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC public health 2011-06, Vol.11 (1), p.468-468, Article 468
Main Authors: Park, Keeho, Hong, Woi Hyun, Kye, Su Yeon, Jung, Euichul, Kim, Myung-hyun, Park, Hyeong Geun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms
Cancer
Community Networks
Diagnosis
Female
Health Care Surveys
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Promotion
Humans
Mammography
Mass Screening
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea
Surveys
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Summary: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. 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. 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. 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.
ISSN:1471-2458
1471-2458
DOI:10.1186/1471-2458-11-468