Social Support and Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening in Argentinean Women From a Rural Population

• Published in: Public health Nursing 2009-05, Vol.26 (3), p.269-276
• Main Authors: Gamarra, Carmen Justina, Paz, Elisabete Pimenta Araújo, Griep, Rosane Harter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Argentina - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology; Cervical cancer; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Health Care Surveys; Health Education; Health Services Needs and Demand; household survey; Humans; Logistic Models; Mammary gland diseases; Mass Screening - psychology; Mass Screening - utilization; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Multivariate Analysis; Nursing; Nursing Methodology Research; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Social Support; Socioeconomic Factors; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - diagnosis; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - epidemiology; woman health; Women; Women - education; Women - psychology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0737-1209; 1525-1446
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2009.00779.x

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine whether emotional social support influences the use of 3 cancer screening tests in females. Design: Cross‐sectional study. Sample: Data were collected via a household survey of a random sample of 200 Argentinean women. Measurements: The questionnaire included self‐reported data about the cancer screening tests (Papanicolaou [Pap] test for cervical cancer, breast self‐examination, and clinical examination for breast cancer), and socioeconomic background information. Social support was measured by the Duke‐UNC‐11 questionnaire. Analysis: Logistic models were used to investigate the association between social support and cancer screening tests. Results: Emotional social support was associated with having participated in Pap screening within 3 years before this study, but a link between social support and self or clinical breast examination was not supported. Conclusion: Emotional social support may play a role in early cervical cancer detection among Argentinean females, specifically by encouraging performance of the Pap test. The educational practices accomplished by nurses should include actions that involve the family and community; therefore, emphasizing the importance of social ties on health and promoting interactions between target women and existent social groups in the community.