Relationship of Social Support and Social Burden to Repeated Breast Cancer Screening in the Women's Health Initiative.
Messina, Catherine R. 1,7; Lane, Dorothy S. 1; Glanz, Karen 2; West, Delia Smith 3; Taylor, Vicky 4; Frishman, William 5; Powell, Lynda 6; Women's Health Initiative Investigators
[Article] Health Psychology. 23(6):582-594, November 2004.

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Direct and interactive effects of social support, social burden (caregiving, negative life events, and social strain), education, and income on repeated use of breast cancer screening among a large (N = 55,278), national sample of postmenopausal women participating in the Women's Health Initiative observational study were examined. Repeated screening decreased as emotional/informational support and positive social interactions decreased (ps < .01). Repeated mammography decreased with frequent caregiving (p < .01). Less social strain reduced the frequency of repeated breast self-examinations (BSEs; ps < .01), but frequent caregiving and more negative life events increased repeated use of BSE (ps < .01). Interactive effects suggested that emotional/informational but not tangible support is associated with repeated mammography and clinical breast examinations (ps < .01) and may be particularly important among low-income older women, especially those burdened by caregiving.

(C) 2004 by the American Psychological Association