FACTORS INFLUENCING EFFECT OF MAMMOGRAPHY SCREENING IN A UNIVERSITY WORKPLACE

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between theo retically identified variables and participation in mammography screen ing in a university workplace. A sample of 1093 women 50 and over retu rned a questionnaire following the offer of a free workplace breast ca ncer screening. Anderson's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use ide ntified factors predisposing and enabling women to have mammograms. Pr edisposing variables included attitudes and experience related to mamm ography. Enabling variables included income, willingness to pay for ma mmography, health insurance coverage, and regular source of health car e. Comparisons were made among: (i) those who were screened in the wor kplace, (ii) those who were screened elsewhere, and (iii) those who we re not screened. Differences in perceived barriers, perceived benefits , practice of breast self-examination (BSE), and education surfaced. R esults indicated, among other things, that women who were older, had n o more than 12 years of education, had a family member with breast can cer, and were proficient with breast self-examination were more likely to have participated in the university work-site screening.