Abstract
BackgroundBreast cancer is a life-threatening condition affecting women around the world. The early detection of breast lumps using a breast self-examination (BSE) is important for the prevention and control of this disease. The aim of this study was to examine BSE behavior and its predictive factors among female university students using the Health Belief Model (HBM).MethodsThis investigation was a cross-sectional survey carried out with 334 female students at Urmia University of Medical Sciences in the northwest of Iran. To collect the necessary data, researchers applied a valid and reliable three-part questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test, in addition to multivariate logistic regression statistics in SPSS software version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).ResultsThe results indicated that 82 of the 334 participants (24.6%) reported practicing BSEs. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that high perceived severity [OR = 2.38, 95% CI = (1.02–5.54)], high perceived benefits [OR = 1.94, 95% CI = (1.09–3.46)], and high perceived self-efficacy [OR = 13.15, 95% CI = (3.64–47.51)] were better predictors of BSE behavior (P < 0.05) than low perceived severity, benefits, and self-efficacy. The findings also showed that a high level of knowledge compared to a low level of knowledge [OR = 5.51, 95% CI = (1.79–16.86)] and academic undergraduate and graduate degrees compared to doctoral degrees [OR = 2.90, 95% CI = (1.42–5.92)] of the participants were predictors of BSE performance (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe study revealed that the HBM constructs are able to predict BSE behavior. Among these constructs, self-efficacy was the most important predictor of the behavior. Interventions based on the constructs of perceived self-efficacy, benefits, and severity are recommended for increasing women’s regular screening for breast cancer.
Highlights
Breast cancer is a life-threatening condition affecting women around the world
ACRHBMS = Champion’s Revised Health Belief Model scale; bSD = Standard Deviation compared between the groups that performed and did not perform breast self-examination (BSE) behavior
We found that 20.7% of the participants in the group with BSE behavior and 10.3% in the group without BSE behavior were in the fourth year and higher (P = 0.045, Table 2)
Summary
Breast cancer is a life-threatening condition affecting women around the world. A dangerous and fatal disease, is a public health challenge in most populations of the world. In 2012, over fourteen million new cases of cancer and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths occurred worldwide. Among the Iranian population, cancer is the third leading cause of death after heart disease and accidents. Breast cancer accounts for 23% of all cancers in women, and as a chronic condition, it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women around the world [1, 2]. Breast cancer is the Didarloo et al BMC Public Health (2017) 17:861 most common cancer among Iranian women, with an incidence rate of 25 per 100,000 individuals [3]
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