Beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of Turkish women about mammography screening according to a Turkish version of the champion’s health belief model scales-mammography screening

International Conference on Nursing & Emergency Medicine

December 02-04, 2013 Hampton Inn Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Yazile Sayin and Meryem Yilmaz

Posters: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Turkish women, and the use of mammography remains low in Turkey. Also, Turkey?s National Breast Cancer Screening report data indicate that the percentage of women 40 years old and younger who have breast cancer is 20.2%, which is almost twice that of western countries. The studies stated that breast cancer threatens young women and, therefore, the age for first mammogram could be 35. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine health beliefs, attitudes and behaviors about mammography screening for breast cancer of Turkish women. Method: Data were collected from a sample of 471 women, using an adapted Turkish version of Champion's Health Belief Model Scale-Mammography (Turkish CHBMS-MS), in Sivas province of Turkey. Results: The women ranged from 35 to 70 years of age with a mean age of 46.46 (SD, 7.38). They do not have mammograms of 67.1%, and have mammograms of 32.9% (only once mammograms of 31.0%). Turkish women about mammography screening towards breast cancer were low at perceived susceptibility score, good perceived benefits, moderate perceived barriers score, and low perceived prejudice. Conclusion: According to this study?s results, Turkish women are not aware of their own risk of breast cancer, they do not regard it as a threat and so they do not have mammograms. However, they believe that mammography is a useful test. Implications for Practice: The study may help nurses and doctors improve Turkish women?s susceptibility towards breast cancer and mammography.

Biography :

Yazile Sayin works at The Department of Surgical Nursing, The Faculty of Health Sciences, Bezmialem Vakif University. She received her ?Assistant Professor? degree from the Cumhuriyet University in 2010. She has scientific publications in national and international journals. Her research interest include surgery and anxiety/stress, perioperative care, postoperative pain management, breast cancer, day surgery, legal and ethical issues in nursing, and home care after surgery.