PREVENTIVE HEALTH BEHAVIOUR : A STUDY OF BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION AMONG WOMEN IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Presently, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death among women in Singapore. It is very important to advocate BSE as cancer-screening to reduce mortality because this is one disease which can be cured effectively if detected early. Detection requires habitual practice and even lifestyle choices for continuing such practices which depend on women's motivations to stay healthy. The key lies in the link between mortality and the social structure. Preventive health behaviour reduces mortality and is a complex but important social phenomenon where there is an interplay between social support from society and individual well-being. Social relationships have the power of healing and nurturance -- this includes their ability to encourage life-saving habits. Researchers in medicine, psychology and medical sociology have made substantial contributions to understanding health behaviour from laboratory studies, animal studies to human studies. However, there has been no substansive effort to date which explores this link in the local context. This study aims to further explore the area of preventive health behaviour, particularly breast self-examination ( BSE) , a form of breast cancer-screening via an in-depth and individual perspective. Specifically, it hopes to reveal the socio-structural end socio-biological dynamics involved in the women's personal experience of BSE as well as possibly structural motivations to practise BSE.