Screening for breast cancer: medicalization, visualization and the embodied experience

Area of Science:

• Women's Health
• Medical Sociology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Breast cancer screening is crucial for early detection.
• Understanding women's perceptions of screening methods is vital for adherence.
• Midlife women's experiences with mammography and breast awareness require further exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore midlife women's perspectives on mammography and breast awareness.
• To understand the perceived legitimacy and confidence associated with each screening method.
• To examine how reliance on technology impacts women's embodied experience of their bodies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with diverse midlife women.
• Participants were sampled for varied backgrounds and health experiences.
• The study focused on women's views on mammography and breast awareness.

Main Results:

• Mammography screening was perceived as a social obligation, despite patient fears and discomfort.
• Women placed high trust in mammography visualizations and expert interpretations.
• Confidence in breast awareness was lower, with direct comparisons made to mammogram capabilities.

Conclusions:

• Reliance on mammography may lead to a fragmented sense of the body, disconnecting the at-risk breast from lived experience.
• Mammography did not entirely replace breast awareness, but influenced women's confidence in self-examination.
• Healthcare strategies should consider women's subjective experiences and the socio-cultural context of screening.