Health behaviours and cancer prevention among Polish women

Abstract

The problem of early prophylaxis of cancer is especially important, mainly due to the results of epidemiological studies, which show high death rates due to cancer among Polish women. The objective of the study was the recognition of health behaviours with respect to cancer prophylaxis reported by the women examined, as well as the determination of the range of expectations concerning health education in the area analysed. The study was conducted in the form of a diagnostic survey and covered 242 female inhabitants of the city of Lublin situated in the Central-Eastern Region of Poland, aged 40-65. The results of the study showed that the respondents most often evaluated their health as generally 'good' or 'mediocre'. Approximately 20% of women in the study had a family history of cancer. The women examined performed self-examination of the breast less frequently than they visited a gynaecologist for a health check-up, cytological tests and mammography. Only a small group of women had densimetric examinations performed. More than a half of the respondents mentioned that they eagerly read educational materials concerning health, and acquired information which contributed to the development of health promoting attitudes.

Breast Cancer Risk and Early Diagnosis Applications in Turkish Women Aged 50 and Over

“…In several studies, BSE rates displays a wide range of 21.9% to 61.7% (Ahmad and Stewart, 2004;Davis et al, 2005;Discigil et al, 2007;Slusarska et al, 2010). And the regular practice of BSE rates decrease, which is quite in line with our study results (Dündar et al, 2006;Discigil et al, 2007;Slusarska et al, 2010).…”

“…In other studies conducted on the same issue, the rates for having CBE and undergoing mammography are 25% and 57%, respectively (Davis et al, 2005;Parsa et al, 2008). And are reported to range between 25.5% and 64.8% (Selvin and Brett, 2003;Davis et al, 2005;Slusarska et al, 2010;Al-Naggar and Bobryshev, 2012). In terms of breast health, it is recommended by the American Cancer Society that women over the age of 50 should have CBE and mammography annually; thus, it is essential to provide training for women in order that they can understand the importance of participating in screenings for mammography and CBE.…”

“…In several studies, BSE rates displays a wide range of 21.9% to 61.7% (Ahmad and Stewart, 2004;Davis et al, 2005;Discigil et al, 2007;Slusarska et al, 2010). And the regular practice of BSE rates decrease, which is quite in line with our study results (Dündar et al, 2006;Discigil et al, 2007;Slusarska et al, 2010). It should be kept in mind that BSE would not be effective in the early diagnosis of breast cancer unless it is performed regularly; ii) Of the women, 53.2% had CBE, and 67.7% underwent mammography regularly.…”

Ethical, Socioeconomic, and Cultural Considerations in Gynecologic Cancer Care in Developing Countries

“…The burden of gynaecologic cancers is on the increase worldwide but is disproportionately higher in developing than developed countries, with the former accounting for about five million new cancer diagnoses annually [1]. This situation, worsened by wars, poverty, and natural disasters, is mainly due to socioeconomic and cultural factors that lead to late diagnosis, high drop-out rates from treatment, high mortality, and poor followup of cancer survivors [2][3][4]. While the majority of these countries have efforts to combat the scourge of gynaecologic disease hampered by lack of resources (drugs and finances) and medical manpower, they are known to have rich and diverse cultures where religions, traditions, and family values greatly influence medical decisions.…”

Patients’ opinions on gynaecologists – experiences and assessments

“…When the Population Programme for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer and the Population Programme for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer have been introduced, a number of studies followed to examine the attitudes of women to health. Scientists focused especially on the knowledge and behaviour of female Poles in relation to the proposed free-of-charge tests for early cancer detection [1][2][3]. In such studies, conducted by sociologists, psychologists, and other experts in health sciences, the experiences associated with the use of gynaecological care usually served as a background to explain the problem of low reporting rates across routine health check-ups [4,5].…”