Health Beliefs and Breast Cancer Early Detection Behaviors among Female Health Care Providers in Tabriz Health Centers, 2009.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females that will cause death if it does not be recognized and cured. In Iran 10.7% of cancers are related to breast cancer. One out of eight Iranian women in 40—55 years old is likely to develop breast cancer. Early detection of breast cancer by screening programs is a useful approach in controlling the disease. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the health beliefs and breast cancer early detection behaviors among female healthcare providers in Tabriz health centers. Methods: In this descriptive study, 196 female healthcare providers were selected from 52 Tabriz health centers by proportional cluster random sampling and their health beliefs about breast cancer early detection behaviors are assessed by using Champion's Health Belief Model (CHBM) Questionnaire. Data analyzed by SPSS software. Findings: The mean age of participants was 37.01 (SD-±7.54), 73.5% of them were married and the job of 45.6% were midwife. 73.2% of participants have performed BSE, but only 26.9% of them performed it regularly. 26.6% of them had mammogram and 10.7% reported performance of CBE. The BSE performance was higher among nurses and midwifes. BSE and mammography performance were higher in married health workers, Health workers who performed mammography and CBE were older (p>0.05). Discussion: In spite of good knowledge of healthcare providers in compare with other people, the results of this study showed that the rate of BSE, mammography and CBE performance is low in Tabriz Healthcare providers. So providing educational programs with focus on performance of breast cancer early detection behaviors is strongly recommended by health service policy makers.