1. Improving breast self-examination compliance: a Southwest Oncology Group randomized trial of three interventions.
- Author
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Strickland CJ, Feigl P, Upchurch C, King DK, Pierce HI, Grevstad PK, Bearden JD 3rd, Dawson M, Loewen WC, and Meyskens FL Jr
- Subjects
- Adult, Age Factors, Attitude to Health, Breast Neoplasms prevention & control, Breast Neoplasms psychology, Chi-Square Distribution, Female, Health Education methods, Humans, Logistic Models, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, Patient Dropouts, Physician's Role, Program Evaluation, Prospective Studies, Psychological Theory, Reinforcement, Psychology, Treatment Outcome, United States, Breast Self-Examination statistics & numerical data, Health Education standards, Patient Compliance, Women's Health
- Abstract
Background: Only 20-40% of U.S. women conduct breast self-examination (BSE). This Southwest Oncology Group experimental study compared the impact of three interventions on BSE compliance., Methods: Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three arms: (1) physician message; (2) physician message and BSE class; or (3) physician message, BSE class, and reinforcement (phone and postcard). Compliance (frequency and accuracy) was measured by interview at intake and at 6 months and by phone contact at 1 year. Logistic and multiple regression were employed., Results: This analysis included 2,233 subjects from six institutions. At 1 year the percentages of women doing BSE were 59, 62, and 78% for Arms 1-3, respectively; gains over intake frequency (27% average) were significant within each arm (P < or = 0.0001). At both 6 months and 1 year the differences between Arm 1 and Arm 2 average accuracy scores and the differences between Arm 2 and Arm 3 in the percentage of women doing BSE were significant (P < or = 0.0001). Findings within institutions were consistent with the overall findings., Conclusions: The addition of a BSE class increased accuracy over physician message alone; physician message, BSE class, and reinforcement gave the highest percentage of women doing BSE.
- Published
- 1997
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