Abstract
Purpose. Delays in seeking help for symptoms have been found to be associated with poorer outcome in breast-cancer patients. This study explores symptom perceptions and health beliefs as predictors of intentions to seek medical help in a general female population. The utility of the self-regulation model of illness cognition and the theory of planned behaviour were examined in predicting help-seeking intentions for potential symptoms of breast cancer in a general population sample. Methods. A general population sample of 546 women completed a postal questionnaire comprising items examining components of the self-regulation model and the theory of planned behaviour. Help-seeking intention was determined by asking participants to rate the likelihood of visiting their GP for a range of breast symptoms. Results. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the cognitive component of the self-regulation model accounted for approximately 22% of the variance in help-seeking intention. Identity (0 = 0.45, p
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 319 - 333 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | British Journal of Health Psychology |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2003 |
