Breast Self-Exams
In any profession, research plays an integral role in the collection of data that contribute to the overall knowledge that guides the profession. Of all disciplines, the field of health relies heavily on research to keep up with changes in disease detection mechanisms and efficiency of new treatment regimens. Studies in this field need to keep up with validity and transferability requirements for the results of the studies to be authentic and applicable. Any good research conducted has its strengths and weaknesses. This paper is a critical evaluation of a study that was conducted on the effect of breast self-exams on curbing breast cancer mortality.
Strengths of the Study
The fact that the study was conducted by qualified medical doctors authenticated the process of the study since the researchers had good knowledge of breast cancer. The study was also conducted in two separate countries, which widened the scope of the study, thereby increasing the applicability in terms of geography.
The results of the study were consistent with the findings of other studies of the same nature on the effectiveness of breast self-examination in detecting and curbing breast cancer. According to a report compiled by Nancy Baxter in Canada, no evidence of significant benefit of breast self-exam on breast cancer cases in women of various age groups was found (2001). The study also found that there was considerable physical and psychological harm associated with breast self-exams. A different study by Hackshaw and Paul also found no significant difference in the number of breast cancer deaths among women who had been taught how to perform breast self-exams and those who did not perform the exams (2003).
Another strong point in the study was the big number of respondents used for the study. The study being large-scale meant that it covered many dynamics over a long period of time. However, the big number of respondents may have had positive and negative implications. The problem with using such a large sample in a study was that certain statistical information that appeared significant could have been insignificant when taken in the backdrop of the larger sample (Brannon & Feist, 2009). For instance, the 587 women who died of breast cancer during the study seemed many, but it was a small representation of the total sample of 388,500.
Weaknesses of the Study
My main reservation about the results of the study concerned the representation of the sample that was chosen for the study. The sample used for the study was made up of women aged between thirty and sixty-six. The problem with the study was that it tested the use of breast self-examination among women who had an option to undergo mammography. That fact made it difficult to apply the findings of the study to women aged twenty to thirty and those aged above sixty-six. Another problem with the sample was that, though the study sought to establish the role of breast self-exam in improving the chances of breast cancer survival, it overlooked the inclusion of men in the study sample. Though breast cancer cases are prevalent among women, some cases have also been documented among men.
The findings also failed to take other variables such as gender, aging, genetic risk factors, race and ethnicity, and previous incidences of chest radiation into consideration. All those factors could have played a role in the results in one way of another. The number of women who died from cancer could have been determined by any of the variables. Stress and psychological pressure associated with breast cancer could also be caused by the presence of breast cancer in the family history and BRCA1/2 genetic tests.
Conclusion
The validity and transferability of research findings demand a scientific approach in the selection of the sample and in the research methodology. Relevance of the study and consistency of the findings also plays a significant role in ensuring reliability. Despite the few shortcomings, I believe that the study findings are a true reflection of the situation of breast self-exam in curbing breast cancer mortality.
References
Hackshaw, K. & Paul, E. A. (2003). Breast self-examination and death from breast cancer: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Cancer, 88(7), 1047–1053.
Baxter, N. (2001). Preventive health care, 2001 update: Should women be routinely taught breast self-examination to screen for breast cancer? CMAJ, 164(13), 1837-1846.
Brannon, L. & Feist, J. (2009). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.