Barriers to mammography among Chinese women in Singapore: A focus group approach

Abstract

This paper uses a focus group approach to investigate the barriers and motivating factors pertaining to the adoption of mammography among Chinese women in Singapore. The findings are organized using the Multiattribute Utility Model (MAU) theoretical framework. Three sets of barriers and two sets of motivators are identified. The barriers to breast screening are (1) fatalism (women's fatalistic attitudes towards life/death and cancer), (2) misinformation regarding mammography and (3) perceived costs (in terms of physical, psychological, time and financial costs). Motivators include (1) faith in medicine (women's belief in the efficacy of early detection) and (2) perceived subjective norm (the influence of informal social support network). Based on these findings, implications for further research are suggested.