Determination of the Breast Cancer Risk Levels and Health Beliefs of Women With and Without Previous Mammography in the Eastern Part of Turkey

Abstract

Objective: This research was conducted to determine the breast cancer risk levels of women with and without previous mammography and their beliefs on breast cancer and mammography. Methods: The sample for this descriptive research consisted of women aged 50 years or older who were registered at the Family Health Center in the city center of Erzurum. The research was conducted with a total of 420 women with at least one mammography (210) and without mammography (210) who presented to the center on Wednesdays and Thursdays for any reason between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2011. Research data were collected using the personal information "Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Form" accepted and recommended by the Turkish Ministry of Health, and the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale for Breast Cancer and Screening (CHBMS). Data were evaluated using percentages and means with the t-test. Results: According to the research data, 89.8% of the women were found to be in the low risk group, 87.6% with and 91.9% without mammography. When the health beliefs of women with and without mammography were compared, it was found that susceptibility, seriouness, motivation, mammography benefit scores were higher among those with mammography (p<0.01). The mammography barrier score average was higher in the group without mammography (p<0.01). Conclusion: Knowing women's health beliefs, which have positive and negative effects on participating in mammography screening, may increase the rate of mammography uptake among women. Moreover, women with high breast cancer risk may be determined by increasing society's level of knowledge on breast cancer and risk factors.

Practice of Breast Cancer Early Diagnosis Methods among Women Living in Samsun, and Factors Associated with This Practice

“…According to a study from eastern Turkey, scores for susceptibility, severity, health motivation, and mammography benefits were higher, and mammography barrier scores were lower in women who had mammography as compared to those who did not undergo mammography (66).…”

Perception of Breast Cancer Screening among Iranian Women without Experience of Mammography: A Qualitative Study

“…In Iran, lack of knowledge is one important reason for dealy in treatment (Rastad et al, 2012). So, it would be useful design of interventions proposed at breast cancer prevention through improved women's awareness on breast cancer and screening and or enhanced screening, especially in those without any experience of mammography (Baysal and Polat, 2012).. We thus conducted this study to describe Iranian women's perception of breast cancer and screening.…”

Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors of First Degree Relatives of Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment and the Affecting Factors

“…Schwab et al (14) reported that better results were achieved regarding tumor size, disease phase and histological examination through screening programs in women with breast cancer. In a study conducted in Turkey (15), groups having higher risk for breast cancer had mammography rates 11 times higher than the others and in another study, it was determined that the CBE rate was 48.1% in women with a family history (16).…”