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The purpose of this study is to identify the main factors influencing breast cancer self-examination, a preventive health behavior, thereby increasing self-examination compliance for early detection of the disease. The data on which this study was based were collected from a survey of 601 ladies, aged 20∼59 years and residing in Seoul, employing such mehtods as X²-test, ANOVA, t-test, F-test, Person′s Correlation Coefficient and Stepwise Multiple Regression. The resulting conclusions are as follows; 1. Discrepancies in self-examination compliance rate are found in accordance with the differences of general characters of the surveyed persons. For instance, those who are well educated and better off are better compliers than those who are not (p<0.001), and those around whom breast cancer patients are better ones than who are not (p<0.01). 2. Self-examination compliers have higher health belief than non-compliers. Compliers have more knowledge in health and have higher susceptibility, barriers and health concern (p<0.001), and higher benefits (p<0.01), and higher seriousness (p<0.05) than non-compliers. 3. Whereas those who have loftier health belief show higher compliance rate (p<0.001), seriousness turned out to have no correlationship with self-examination compliance. 4. Stepwise Multiple Regression portray that following factors influence self-examination compliance in arder named. (1) barriers (2) susceptibility, (3) health concern, (4) age, (5) benefits, (6) education level. Even so, it turned out that these factors alone can explain only 20％ of self-examination compliance. Therefore study for the other factors ought to be continued. I submit following suggestions ending this study. 1. Since breast cancer self-examination is an essential health behavior needed for early detection of the disease, efficient and proper health education program eyed for regular and periodic self-examination is required to be developed, thus reducing the deaths and pains caused by the disease. 2. Proper policies of the government for the prevention of breast cancer is strongly urged to be formed in concrete manner. 3. Continuous study of the other factors affecting self-examination compliance must be carried on.
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