Effects of Breast Cancer Fatalism on Breast Cancer Awareness among Nursing Students in Turkey.

Hulya Kulakci,Ozlem Ozturk,Nurten Tasdemir,Nuriye Yildirim,Tulay Kuzlu Ayyildiz,Aysel Kose Topan

doi:10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.8.3565

Hulya Kulakci, Ozlem Ozturk + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.8.3565

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Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and leading cause of death worldwide, including in Turkey. High perceptions of cancer fatalism are associated with lower rates of participation in screening for breast cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of breast cancer fatalism and other factors on breast cancer awareness among nursing students in Turkey. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at three universities in the Western Black Sea region. The sample was composed of 838 nursing students. Data were collected by Personal Information Form, Powe Fatalism Inventory (PFI) and Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). Breast cancer fatalism perception of the students was at a low level. It was determined that students' seriousness perception was moderate, health motivation, BSE benefits and BSE self-efficacy perceptions were high, and BSE barriers and sensitivity perceptions were low. In addition, it was determined that students awareness of breast cancer was affected by breast cancer fatalism, class level, family history of breast cancer, knowledge on BSE, source of information on BSE, frequency of BSE performing, having breast examination by a healthcare professional within the last year and their health beliefs. In promoting breast cancer early diagnosis behaviour, it is recommended to evaluate fatalism perceptions and health beliefs of the students and to arrange training programs for this purpose.

Highlights

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and leading cause of death worldwide (Ertem and Kocer, 2009; Akhtari-Zavare et al, 2013; Al-Sharbatti et al, 2013; Charkazi et al, 2013; Andsoy and Gul, 2014; Boulos and Ghali, 2014; Gur et al, 2014; Jones et al, 2014; Karadag et al, 2014a; Karadag et al, 2014b)
When the relationship between Powe Fatalism Inventory (PFI) and Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) subdimensions was examined, it was found that breast cancer fatalism had a positive and weak correlation with susceptibility (r=0.179, p=0.0001) and BSE barriers (r=0.095, p=0.006), it had a negative and weak correlation with BSE benefits (r=-0.085, p=0.014), and it did not have any correlation with seriousness (r=0.067, p=0.053), health motivation (r=-0.062, p=0.071) and BSE selfefficacy (r=-0.056, p=0.105)
It was found that seriousness perception of the students was moderate, their perception of health motivation, BSE benefits and BSE self efficacy were high and their perceptions of BSE barriers and susceptibility were low

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and leading cause of death worldwide (Ertem and Kocer, 2009; Akhtari-Zavare et al, 2013; Al-Sharbatti et al, 2013; Charkazi et al, 2013; Andsoy and Gul, 2014; Boulos and Ghali, 2014; Gur et al, 2014; Jones et al, 2014; Karadag et al, 2014a; Karadag et al, 2014b). Detection and breast cancer diagnosis is logically a significant process and it can lead to an increase in the survival rate (Yarbrugh and Braden, 2001; Ertem and Kocer, 2009; Yousuf, 2010; Al-Sharbatti et al., 2013; Charkazi et al, 2013; Andsoy and Gul, 2014; Gur et al, 2014; Karadag et al, 2014b; Yucel et al, 2014). These factors include cultural beliefs, health/disease perception, support of family and neighbourhood, information concerning the disease, risk perception, and self-efficacy in the practice that should be performed in the early period of the disease (Yucel et al, 2014) Fatalism is another factor that is analyzed as a psychosocial barrier for cancer prevention and screening behavior (Niederdeppe and Levy, 2007; Talbert, 2008; Akhtari-Zavare et al, 2013; Charkazi et al, 2013).

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