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  • Title: Assessing breast self-examination.
    Author: Newcomb PA, Olsen SJ, Roberts FD, Storer BE, Love RR.
    Journal: Prev Med; 1995 May; 24(3):255-8. PubMed ID: 7644448.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Women practice breast self-examination (BSE) according to their own schedule and skill. This variation in how BSE is performed has complicated the interpretation of studies of BSE efficacy and utilization. METHODS: We compared two methods commonly used to assess BSE competency, self-report of practice and ability to detect lumps in a model, among 81 women participating in a controlled toxicity trial of tamoxifen. Subjects were postmenopausal, were under 65 years of age, and had a history of breast cancer within the past 10 years but were currently free of disease. Women were asked to describe their usual BSE practice and were assigned a score (0-10) based on the number of recommended techniques and positions mentioned. Subjects were then instructed to examine a silicone breast model embedded with lumps (HealthEdCo) and to report any abnormalities. RESULTS: Overall proficiency was low by both measures. No significant correlation (r = 0.16, P = 0.15) was found between the two measures of proficiency. Higher correlations were observed among older women and among those practicing BSE monthly. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the two techniques are not comparably evaluating BSE proficiency. Further, both of these methods are likely to be poor measures of true BSE practice.
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