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From "reducing" to "coping with" uncertainty: reconceptualizing the central challenge in breast self-exams

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  • Babrow, Austin S.
  • Kline, Kimberly N.

Abstract

An ideology of uncertainty reduction pervades scholarly and popular discourse on breast self-exams (BSE). Women are encouraged to understand BSE as an activity that reduces uncertainty about their health. Moreover, uncertainties about the procedure itself are conceived as barriers to BSE. In turn, reducing these uncertainties is seen as the key to promoting BSE. We argue that the ideology of uncertainty reduction is both descriptively and prescriptively inadequate and potentially a threat to women's health. We further contend the ideology should be replaced by a framework that illuminates processes of coping with uncertainty. Several major characteristics of such a framework, as well as implications for medical practice, are discussed and illustrated within the context of BSE.

Suggested Citation

  • Babrow, Austin S. & Kline, Kimberly N., 2000. "From "reducing" to "coping with" uncertainty: reconceptualizing the central challenge in breast self-exams," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 51(12), pages 1805-1816, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:51:y:2000:i:12:p:1805-1816
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    Cited by:

    1. Schreurs, Bert & van Emmerik, IJ. Hetty & Guenter, Hannes & Germeys, Filip, 2011. "A Weekly Diary Study on the Buffering Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Job Insecurity and Employee Performance," Working Papers 2011/27, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    2. Scherr, Courtney L. & Getachew-Smith, Hannah J. & Sudec, Laura & Brooks, John J. & Roberts, Megan, 2020. "Parents’ sensemaking processes in the identification of developmental delays and engagement with early intervention services," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    3. Jerry Selvaseelan, 2018. "Development and Introduction of the Risk-Sentience Auxiliary Framework (RSAF) as an Enabler to the ISO 31000 and ISO 31010 for High-Risk Environments," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Kielmann, Karina & Deshmukh, Deepali & Deshpande, Sucheta & Datye, Vinita & Porter, John & Rangan, Sheela, 2005. "Managing uncertainty around HIV/AIDS in an urban setting: Private medical providers and their patients in Pune, India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(7), pages 1540-1550, October.
    5. Lynsey Romo, 2014. "“These Aren’t Very Good Times”: Financial Uncertainty Experienced by Romantic Partners in the Wake of an Economic Downturn," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 477-488, December.
    6. Dean, Marleah, 2016. "“It’s not if I get cancer, it’s when I get cancer”: BRCA-positive patients’ (un)certain health experiences regarding hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 21-27.

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