• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.295-300
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• 2012

Breast self-examination (BSE) is important for early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC). However, the majority of Turkish women do not perform regular BSE. We aimed to evaluate the effects of education level on the attitudes and behaviors of women towards BSE. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 women (20-59 years), divided into university graduates (Group I, n = 224) and high school or lower graduates (Group II, n = 189). They completed a 22-item scale assessing the knowledge level, attitudes and behaviors regarding BSE, and the Turkish version of the Champion's Revised Health Belief Model. A significantly higher number of women in Group II did not believe in early diagnosis of BC. A significantly higher number of Group I had conducted BSE at least once, and their BSE frequency was also significantly high. Moreover, a significantly lower number of Group I women considered themselves to not be at risk for BC and the scores for "perceived susceptibility" and "perceived barriers" were significantly higher. Logistic regression analysis identified the university graduate group to have a higher likelihood of performing BSE, by 1.8 times. Higher educational levels were positively associated with BSE performance. Overall, the results suggest that Turkish women, regardless of their education level, need better education on BSE. Consideration of the education level in women will help clinicians develop more effective educational programs, resulting in more regular practice and better use of BSE.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1275-1280
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• 2014

Purpose: To define factors that affect the performance status of BSE and confidence of student nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the academic year 2010-2011 in a nursing faculty in $\dot{I}$zmir, Turkey. "Informative data form" and "Champion's Revised Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS)" were used as data collection forms. Results: The mean age of the participant nurses was $21.0{\pm}1.49$. The mean CHMS scores of the student nurses were as follows: perceived susceptibility regarding breast cancer, $7.78{\pm}2.46$; perceived seriousness regarding breast cancer, $22.4{\pm}5.43$; perceived benefit regarding BSE application, $20.5{\pm}4.45$; perceived barriers regarding BSE application, $23.8{\pm}7.13$; perceived confidence regarding BSE application, $36.3{\pm}7.78$; the mean score of health motivation sub-scale, $25.7{\pm}4.59$; and mean of the total score of the scale, $36.5{\pm}15.01$. Conclusions: The outcomes obtained in this study indicated the importance of better education to student nurses, who have a key role in teaching preventive health behaviour including BSE to society and other university students as colleagues.