Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Savage, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by Clarke, V. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Savage, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by Clarke, V. A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Health Education Research, Vol. 13, No. 4, 529-544, 1998
© 1998 Oxford University Press

other

Older women's illness representations of cancer: a qualitative study

Sally A. Savage1 and Valerie A. Clarke1,2

1School of Psychology, Deakin University Geelong, Victoria 3217
2Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria Cariton South, Victoria 3053, Australia

This paper investigates the role of illness representations in older women's utilization of cancer screening. Older women's own beliefs, or illness representations, of cancer and cancer screening in relation to breast cancer and cervical cancer were explored using relatively unstructured, face-to-face interviews. Twenty women aged between 45 and 70 were interviewed, half of whom were regular screeners and half under-screeners. A comparison of the illness representations of the screeners with the under-screeners indicates some differences regarding cancer in general, and substantial differences regarding the treatment and cure of cancer. The screeners expressed less concern about cancer and gave more positive examples of the successful treatment of cancer. The under-screeners were more likely to express cynicism about the medical profession, to indicate that a person would have symptoms if they had cancer, that they would not want most of the treatment available for cancer, that screening is more important for younger women and that the use of alternative therapies negates the need for cancer screening. Few differences emerged between the two groups regarding the causes of cancer.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Health (London)Home page
N. Armstrong
Discourse and the individual in cervical cancer screening
Health (London) , January 1, 2007; 11(1): 69 - 85.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.