Does concern about breast cancer inhibit or promote breast cancer screening?

Theories that make predictions about how fear of disease should influence health-protective action differ about whether fear motivates or inhibits precautionary behavior. We tested different predictions in the context of fear of breast cancer and breast cancer screening, using a cross-sectional survey of 838 women, aged 40 to 75, from North Dakota. The measured variables included fear of breast cancer, perceived susceptibility, precaution effectiveness, reported frequency of breast self-examination and mammography, and intentions to engage in breast cancer screening in the future. The data showed that (a) greater fear was related to higher levels of screening intentions and behavior, (b) susceptibility and fear were each separately associated with screening, and (c) precaution effectiveness was important only when fear was low. Overall, the data support Leventhal's ideas about parallel processing of health information and coping with health threats (Leventhal, Nerenz, & Steele, 1984). The results indicate that fear of cancer does not inhibit health protective actions performed to detect breast cancer.