Breast Cancer Awareness - Research Paper Example

Evidenced-Based Health Promotion: Health Teaching in Breast Cancer Awareness This paper serves as an evidence-based health teaching guide designed for three adult women with different demographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, where they share the same risk of developing breast cancer. Hence, the selected topic for the health teaching is breast cancer awareness. This will summarize available information on the recent health promotion strategies in breast cancer prevention and management and the special considerations for each individual client in the group.

Under the scope of health promotion and disease prevention, breast cancer awareness is under the first level of prevention geared in discussing breast cancer for those who does not have it yet, motivating these persons to a positive approach to wellness and not as narrow as avoiding breast cancer as most mass media-driven information sources do (Kozier et al, 2004; Metcalfe, Price & Powell, 2010). Through information dissemination, we can promote health and prevent the progression of breast cancer for the client group who are sharing the same risk factors (female gender, age 30 years old and above).

Breast cancer is second to lung cancer in terms of cancer-related deaths, and most diagnosed among the female (Black & Hawks, 2005). Recent studies reveal the risk factors in developing breast cancer are the female gender, age beyond 30 years old, race, familial and genetic factors, estrogen levels, use of contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy, alcohol consumption and environmental factors (Hulka & Moorman, 2008). There are various diagnostic options for breast cancer according to availability of resources, but mammography remained to be the best breast cancer screening option, though still coupled with weaknesses in ruling out breast cancer accurately (Kent, 2008).

Treatment for breast cancer varies from the severity of the disease, ranging from medications, surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy (Goldhirsch et al, 2007; Besilija et al, 2009). Early detection is the key for better prognosis, and with effective therapy, most women diagnosed with breast cancer will recover (Thompson & Stopeck 2008). It is important to use tact in disseminating information on breast cancer. The goal of this health teaching is to raise awareness of the client group about breast cancer without raising unnecessary anxiety, as observed by Thirlaway et al (1996) in women with family history of the disease.

Appropriate information must be delivered at the right time (Mills & Davidson, 2002) and must be appropriate for the culture receiving it (Puschel et al, 2010). It is also important to note that written information cannot be easily understood by a large proportion of women (Cox, Bowmer & Ring, 2011). For the assigned client group, there are variances in age, race, occupation and socio-economic status to be considered. A special consideration for the 51-year-old woman from Germany, aside from the ability to speak and understand English, is the clarity, orderliness and thoroughness of information to be delivered, while maintaining seriousness in the discussion.

She may hate misunderstandings and unclear statements. Be ready to define every medical terminology to use should there be no layman’s equivalent for the term. Be ready to have detailed information at hand, for example, statistics, definition of diagnostic procedures and treatment modalities, as she may frequently ask for it, though it is better not to give away everything yet unless asked to avoid confusing the 30-year-old woman who is not a nurse. She would like the discussion in a step-by-step manner, and every detail must be clear before jumping to another topic (Lewis, 1996).

The 53-year-old nurse may be well-educated with the mechanisms, treatments and nursing considerations for patients with breast cancer, but might not be updated with the recent developments in breast cancer management. It is suggested that supplemental information must be provided in order to fill the information gaps that the nurse might not be aware of. Be prepared in case she might raise a traditional practice which was already replaced by a modern evidenced-based approach being presented. For the 30-year-old woman of lower-middle class status, be aware that she might not be able to grasp every aspect of the health teaching, especially when the German client asks too many details.

It is recommended to use the layman terms and speak in Basic English in discussing information requiring high comprehension level, even if a myriad of details is incorporated. Be aware that silence is a sign of not being able to understand the discussion well, so it is essential to assess what the clients had learned before proceeding to the next topic. This paper presented pointers in conducting a health teaching in breast cancer awareness for the client group who are at risk in developing breast cancer but with varying demographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

The relation of the breast cancer awareness topic in health promotion and disease prevention are discussed, and bide evidence-based information in etiology, detection, treatment and prognosis are provided. Individual special considerations are detailed and recommendations are presented. With proper implementation, this will be used to promote a positive change in the clients’ health behaviors by informing them about their risks in developing breast cancer, and what to do to prevent its progression.

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