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Screening for breast cancer: medicalisation, visualisation and the embodied experience
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 21:35 authored by Frances Griffiths, Gillian Bendelow, Eileen Green, Julie PalmerWomen's perspectives on breast screening (mammography and breast awareness) were explored in interviews with midlife women sampled for diversity of background and health experience. Attending mammography screening was considered a social obligation despite women's fears and experiences of discomfort. Women gave considerable legitimacy to mammography visualizations of the breast, and the expert interpretation of these. In comparison, women lacked confidence in breast awareness practices, directly comparing their sensory capabilities with those of the mammogram, although mammography screening did not substitute breast awareness in a straightforward way. The authors argue that reliance on visualizing technology may create a fragmented sense of the body, separating the at risk breast from embodied experience.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
HealthISSN
1363-4593External DOI
Issue
6Volume
14Page range
653-668Pages
16.0Department affiliated with
- Sociology and Criminology Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes