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Breast cancer awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation among women from different ethnic groups in East London

Forbes, L.J.L., Atkins, L., Thurnham, A., Layburn, J., Haste, F., Ramirez, A.J. (2011) Breast cancer awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation among women from different ethnic groups in East London. British Journal of Cancer, 105 (10). pp. 1474-1479. ISSN 1532-1827. (doi:10.1038/bjc.2011.406) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:77971)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2011.406

Abstract

Background: During 2001 to 2005, 1-year breast cancer survival was low in ethnically diverse East London. We hypothesised that this was due to low breast cancer awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation, leading to late stage at diagnosis in women from ethnic minorities. We examined ethnic differences in breast cancer awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation in East London.

Methods: We carried out a population-based survey of 1515 women aged 30+ using the Cancer Research UK Breast Cancer Awareness Measure. We analysed the data using logistic regression adjusting for age group and level of deprivation.

Results: South Asian and black women had lower breast cancer awareness than white women. South Asian women, but not black women, reported more emotional barriers to seeking medical help than white women. White women were more likely than non-white women to report worry about wasting the doctor's time as a barrier to symptomatic presentation.

Conclusion: Interventions to promote early presentation of breast cancer for South Asian and black women should promote knowledge of symptoms and skills to detect changes, and tackle emotional barriers to symptomatic presentation and for white women tackle the idea that going to the doctor to discuss a breast symptom will waste the doctor's time.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1038/bjc.2011.406
Additional information: Unmapped bibliographic data: DB - Scopus [Field not mapped to EPrints] M3 - Article [Field not mapped to EPrints]
Uncontrolled keywords: breast cancer; awareness; symptoms; delayed presentation; cross-sectional study; ethnic group
Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Depositing User: Lindsay Forbes
Date Deposited: 28 Oct 2019 13:37 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:26 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/77971 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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