[Health promotion. Evaluation of breast cancer detection beliefs using a decision model]

This paper presents how behavioral theory can be used to evaluate a group of women's decisions related to the early detection of breast cancer. While the emphasis of this presentation is breast cancer detection, it is important to remember that behavioral theory can be applied to a variety of health behaviors. The incidence rate for breast cancer among American women has risen steadily over the last several decades. According to current estimates, one of eight women can expect to get breast cancer in her lifetime. Despite great advances in medical technology, the current state of knowledge limits the ability of health care providers to 'cure' advanced malignancy; and although an association between breast cancer and some lifestyle factors is suspected, there are still no guaranteed methods of preventing the disease from occurring. A growing body of evidence indicates that the mortality rate from breast cancer can be decreased through women's participation in breast cancer screening techniques (mammography, clinical breast examination, and breast self-examination) in order to detect the disease at an early stage before it becomes invasive. Despite the evidence supporting BSE as a detection technique, the majority of women do not perform it on a regular basis. Health care professionals must develop educational programs to encourage women to perform BSE. Effective educational programs require an understanding of the attitudes and beliefs that affect the performance of th health behaviors. In an attempt to understand the relationship between attitudes and BSE behavior, this paper used the multiattribute utility model based on value expectancy theory. This paper includes careful description of methodology using multiattribute utility model and some implications of the results in developing an effective educational program for BSE.