Abstract
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second cause of death due to women’s cancer after the lung cancer. Early detection is very crucial in improving the outcomes and survival rates. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent educational program based on health belief model (HBM) can change women’s health beliefs and behaviors of breast cancer screening.
Materials and Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 219 women referred to Health Care Centers in Tabriz were divided into case and control groups through cluster random sampling. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire consisted of 4 sections: demographic characteristics, knowledge of the breast cancer and related screening methods, health beliefs and behaviors of screening. Three months after the intervention, the two groups sat for posttest.
Results: Post intervention, there was a remarkable increase within the experimental group in perceived seriousness (P=0.02), threat (P=0.01) and benefit (P<0.001). However, within the control group there was a significant increase in perceived sensitivity (P=0.01) and a decrease in perceived seriousness (P=0.01). Moreover, there was a 15.4% increase in the frequency of breast screening examination in the experimental group. Overall, the screening behaviors in post intervention was significantly different between the two groups (P=0.03).
Conclusion: The culturally-sensitive educational intervention based on HBM was to some extent effective in alteration of the health beliefs and screening behaviors. In future educational programs, it seems that focusing on perceived sensitivity enhancement and reducing the perceived barriers would have an important effect on mammography practice in long time follow up.