Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to identify the age-related differences in risk perception of breast cancer and the age-related differences in predictors of risk perception. METHOD: The subjects were 553 women aged from 15 to 64 who lived in Seoul, Kwang-Ju, Jeon-nam province. Data was collected by self-reported questionnaire surveys using convenience sampling. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, F-test with Scheffe test, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS-Win 10.0 version. RESULT: Risk perception of breast cancer was different by age group. Especially, risk perception in teenagers and the 50~64 years group was lower than the other groups. Additionally, general fear of breast cancer, information seeking style, experience, and knowledge were different between the age groups. The results of multiple regression analyses predicting risk perception indicated the following significant predictors: general fear and knowledge in all the subjects, general fear and experience in the 20~29 years group, and general fear in the other age groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the construction of educational messages for breast cancer prevention and early detection should be designed differently for each age group.

• Keywords: Breast cancer; Risk perception; General fear; Information-seeking style; Knowledge