Relationship between Delayed Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Behavioral Economic Factors and Personality Characteristics

Shinden, Yoshiaki; Kamimura, Kayo; Hayashi, Naoki; Nomoto, Yuki; Nagata, Ayako; Eguchi, Yuka; Yano, Hanako; Saho, Hazuki; Nakajo, Akihiro; Minami, Koji; Hirashima, Tadahiro; Sasaki, Ken; Yoshinaka, Heiji; Owaki, Tetsuhiro; Tanimoto, Akihide; Nakamura, Masayuki; Otsuka, Takao

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.10.3437

Relationship between Delayed Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Behavioral Economic Factors and Personality Characteristics

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima- City, Japan.

² Department of Psychiatry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima-City, Japan.

³ Department of Breast Surgery, Kagoshima City Hospital, 37-1, Kamiarata, Kagoshima-City, Japan.

⁴ Department of Community-based Medicine Education Center for Doctors in Remote Island and Rural Areas, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima-City, Japan.

⁵ Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima-City, Japan.

⁶ Center for the Research of Advanced Diagnosis and Therapy of Cancer, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.

10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.10.3437

Abstract

Background: Delays in breast cancer diagnosis can allow the disease to progress to an incurable stage. However, factors that cause patients to delay seeking treatment are unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify behavioral economic factors and personality characteristics of patients with breast cancer who had a delayed diagnosis. Methods: We analyzed questionnaires completed by 41 patients with breast cancer. A delayed diagnosis was defined if the time between the first symptom and the medical visit was more than 6 months. Results: We found 11 patients who had a delayed diagnosis. The significant characteristics associated with patients with breast cancer who had delayed diagnosis were: (i) less experience with breast cancer screening; (ii) progressive disease stage; and (iii) low time and future time preference. We found no significant behavioral economic factors other than time preference, and personality that differed between patients with breast cancer who did and did not have a delayed diagnosis. Conclusion: Low time preference rate is a characteristic of patients with breast cancer who had a delayed diagnosis.

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