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Changing Health Beliefs about Breast Cancer Screening among Women in Multi-Ethnic Malaysia

Author

Listed:
  • Mila Nu Nu Htay

    (Centre of Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
    Department of Community Medicine, Manipal University College Malaysia, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Melaka 75150, Malaysia)

  • Maznah Dahlui

    (Centre of Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
    Department of Health Policy and Administration, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia)

  • Désirée Schliemann

    (Centre for Public Health and UKCRC, Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

  • Christopher R. Cardwell

    (Centre for Public Health and UKCRC, Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

  • Siew Yim Loh

    (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Nor Saleha Binti Ibrahim Tamin

    (Ministry of Health, Putrajaya 62590, Malaysia)

  • Saunthari Somasundaram

    (National Cancer Society, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia)

  • Michael Donnelly

    (Centre for Public Health and UKCRC, Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Tin Tin Su

    (Centre of Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
    South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffery Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of the ‘Be Cancer Alert’ mass media campaign for breast cancer (BCAC-BC) in terms of changes to women’s health beliefs regarding BC susceptibility and the benefits and barriers of breast cancer screening in Malaysia. Pre- and post-campaign surveys evaluated changes in health beliefs among women aged 40 years and above ( n = 676). The perceived susceptibility to breast cancer was significantly higher at follow-up (mean ± SD: 7.30 ± 2.77 vs. 7.63 ± 2.58, p = 0.008) whereas the mean score for the perceived benefits of undertaking screening was high at baseline and follow-up (16.34 ± 2.36 vs. 15.95 ± 2.07, p = 0.001). The perceptions or beliefs about barriers to screening did not change significantly (31.70 ± 8.26 vs. 31.77 ± 7.63, p = 0.841). Regression analyses indicated that mean scores for the barriers subscale were significantly lower among Chinese women (−2.61, 95% CI −4.67, −0.55, p = 0.013) compared to Malay, and among single compared to married women (−2.40, 95% CI −4.60, −0.21, p = 0.032) after adjustment for other demographic variables and past screening history. Malaysian women appeared to already have positive perceptions before the BCAC-BC mass media campaign about the benefits of BC screening. However, the campaign appeared to be linked to both an increased awareness of the susceptibility to breast cancer and to positive beliefs that countered emotional barriers to screening, particularly among single women and Chinese-Malay women.

Suggested Citation

  • Mila Nu Nu Htay & Maznah Dahlui & Désirée Schliemann & Christopher R. Cardwell & Siew Yim Loh & Nor Saleha Binti Ibrahim Tamin & Saunthari Somasundaram & Michael Donnelly & Tin Tin Su, 2022. "Changing Health Beliefs about Breast Cancer Screening among Women in Multi-Ethnic Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:3:p:1618-:d:739184
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mila Nu Nu Htay & Désirée Schliemann & Maznah Dahlui & Christopher R. Cardwell & Siew Yim Loh & Nor Saleha Binti Ibrahim Tamin & Saunthari Somasundaram & Victoria Champion & Michael Donnelly & Tin Tin, 2021. "Validation of the Champion Health Belief Model Scale for an Investigation of Breast Cancer Screening Behaviour in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-12, September.
    2. Amin, Shahina, 2004. "Ethnic differences and married women's employment in Malaysia: do government policies matter?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 291-306, July.
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