A Health Priorities Model: Application to Mammography Screening

Abstract

This study describes and empirically tests a health priorities model. This model predicts underuse of regular mammography screening among adult women within the larger health context in which such decisions are made. The model incorporates women's comparative illness threats, comparative importance of health behaviors, and demographic variables. A telephone survey was conducted with a sample of women (N = 887) older than 50, in 40 rural communities in the state of Washington. Logistic regression analyses showed that women who perceived themselves at low risk for getting breast cancer and/or who perceived another disease (i.e. heart attack) as an equal or greater threat than breast cancer were less likely to be regular screeners of mammography. In addition, women who perceived other health behaviors as more important than regular mammography screening were less likely to be regular screeners than those women who perceived regular mammography screening as more important. Current or anticipated health problems were not related to screening behavior. The results are discussed in light of the practical, theoretical, and empirical implications.