Toilet Graffiti Encourages Breast Self-ExaminationAugust 23, 2004New research shows that health information placed on public toilet doors - 'health graffiti' - encourages young women to breast self-examine. These findings represent an important step in the fight against breast cancer, which affects as many as 1 in 10 women at some point in their life. The research, carried out by a team of health psychologists from Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh will be presented today, Thursday 9 September 2004, at the British Psychological Society's Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, hosted by Queen Margaret University College and taking place at Pollock Halls in Edinburgh. This new research shows that replacing the usual graffiti found in public toilets with information about breast self-examination can encourage women to examine themselves. They carried out this latest research with Scottish women in their early 20s. Dr Kerri E McPherson, Chartered Health Psychologist, said: "Breast self-examination is the most important detection method for the majority of women under the age of 50 because they are not included in the NHS's breast screening programme. But, worryingly, statistics suggest that as few as 10% of women regularly examine their breasts." Dr McPherson added: "Young women who regularly visited toilets that had breast self-examination posters on the back of the cubicle door showed an increased intention to undertake this important health behaviour. "Whilst it is important that public health campaigns give women information about breast self-examination, they are unlikely to stop and read this information in a public forum - breasts are too embarrassing a subject. The inside of public toilet cubicle doors is perfect. The information is in the public domain but when that cubicle door is shut the woman has privacy to read the information and even try it out if she wants." Leading cancer charity, Cancer Research UK, reports that around 90% of breast cancers are first noticed by women themselves, rather than heath professionals. This highlights the need for women to self-examine.
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