UCC research into awareness of breast cancer

Dr Máirín O’Mahony, Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC beside Female Nude by Cork artist Don Cronin

Dr Máirín O’Mahony, Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC beside Female Nude by Cork artist Don Cronin

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Over 50% of women are unaware of less common breast cancer symptoms according to a UCC study carried out in two breast clinics in Ireland.

 

Researcher Dr Máirín O’Mahony, School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC investigated whether women visited their GP promptly or not when they detected a breast symptom and also sought to identify what factors influenced their decision. The study was based on a questionnaire that was completed by a sample of some 450 women who were attending the two clinics.
 
A key finding was that a delay in seeking help was associated with women’s lack of knowledge of non-lump breast cancer symptoms. The study demonstrated that, despite the message of the importance of early presentation of breast symptoms to the GP, some women postponed going to their GP after they detected a symptom. “We know that early diagnosis of breast cancer is linked to more favourable outcomes and longer survival”, says Dr O’Mahony  “and the study highlights the need for continued promotion of breast awareness and prompt help-seeking by women with symptoms."
 
Most of the women in the study were of Irish nationality and under 50 years. The most common presenting breast symptoms were a breast lump and breast pain. After detecting the breast symptom, the majority of women (70%) visited their GP within one month. A worrying finding was that 30% of participants waited for longer than one month before visiting their GP, and 17% waited for three months or more. Delay was more likely to occur amongst women with breast pain or nipple changes and those who believed that their breast problem would last for a long time. Additionally, women who ignored their symptom were more likely to delay.  “This could have been women’s way of coping with their breast symptom. However, this is not helpful as it can lead to a potential delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer”, adds Dr O’Mahony.

Dr O’ Mahony’s co-authors in the study were Professor Josephine Hegarty and Professor Geraldine Mc Carthy, Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC.

Read about Dr O’Mahony’s research in the health supplement of The Irish Times:  http://tinyurl.com/9gnzm4p

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