PREDICTORS Of BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING UPTAKE BEHAVIOUR IN THE COMMUNITY IN ODISHA

Abstract

Health behaviours, symptoms are intricate and subject to changeability newlinebetween not only populations of different states of a vast country like India but also newlinewithin regions or even within the same caste and tribes. Past health-related behaviours newlineand experiences, knowledge, cues to action, attitudes, health beliefs and several other newlinefactors could be applied as predictors for the target screening populations. Several of newlinethese aspects have been exercised in theoretical models aiming to forecast or influence newlinehealth behaviours namely, screening uptake. Several researches have been successfully newlineundertaken on such factors (women s behaviours, attitudes, practices, knowledge, newlineattitudes, cues to action, etc.) that may influence the level of uptake of cervical and newlinebreast cancer screening in India. newlineIt is yet to conduct specific research on both breast and cervical screening in newlineOdisha. Recognition, identification and classification of factors that may affect newlinescreening uptake in the community of Odisha are the burning need of the time, which newlinecan improve the health status of the state. Thus, an attempt has been made in the present newlinedoctoral study to evolve evidences needed for improving community health, by newlineunderstanding the factors so that proper screening programmes for studied specific newlinepopulations can be designed, planned and premeditated. The present study has explored newlinedifferent potential factors (current and past screening behaviours, cervical and breast newlinecancer screening knowledge and different socio-economic and socio-demographic newlinecharacteristics), which can influence the uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening newlineinitiatives in Khurda and Cuttack districts of Odisha. The study has been undertaken to newlinedetermine the screening practices and predictors in the absence of a nationwide newlinescreening programme.