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Åsa Ritenius Manjer. Photo: Patrik Hekkala

Åsa Ritenius Manjer

Senior lecturer | PhD in Social Work

Åsa Ritenius Manjer. Photo: Patrik Hekkala

On Women's Ambivalence about Mammography Screening: Support in the Decision-Making Process a Potential Role for Health Care Social Workers?

Author

  • Åsa Ritenius Manjer
  • Sophia Zackrisson
  • Ulla Melin Emilsson

Summary, in English

The aim of this article is to reach a deeper understanding of women's decision-making process regarding non-attendance at mammography screenings. The article also discusses the health care social workers' role in providing support to women during this decision. Eighteen qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had abstained from mammography screening in Malmö, Sweden. Thematic analyses were used as a method and The Rational Choice Theory, The Health Belief Model and the notion of Cross-Pressure were used as a theoretical framework. A prominent feature was that the relationship between the women's decision to abstain and the normative perception that mammography is an important examination led to ambivalent thoughts. It can be seen as an adjustment to the structure to be invited and a cross-pressure between performed and expected actions. Moreover, the decision to abstain from mammography screening was preceded by thoughts about the right choice, specifically in relation to what would happen to these women if they got breast cancer. Women who abstain need to think about their decision to a larger extent than women who attend the screening and we argue that they should be offered support by health care social workers in the invitation letter to mammography screening.

Department/s

  • School of Social Work
  • Radiology Diagnostics, Malmö
  • BioCARE: Biomarkers in Cancer Medicine improving Health Care, Education and Innovation

Publishing year

2016

Language

English

Pages

480-497

Publication/Series

British Journal of Social Work

Volume

46

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Social Work

Keywords

  • qualitative methods
  • decision making
  • women
  • health
  • social work and health

Status

Published

Research group

  • Radiology Diagnostics, Malmö

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0045-3102