Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Early diagnosis can reduce mortality
significantly and promote women’s quality of life. Changes in women’s beliefs and attitudes are necessary to
encourage them to undergo Breast self examination (BSE). This study aimed to examine the relationship between
health beliefs and the performance of breast self examination among women. The study was a descriptive
correlation study and was conducted in two of the Faculty of Nursing (Alexandria and Benha University). The
sample of this study comprised two categories namely all the available employer and worker who work in the above
mentioned Faculties, collectively (100 women). 90 women agreed to participate in the study. The main independent
variable was health beliefs dimensions derived from Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale (HBMS) Champion,
1993 and adapted and modified by the researchers according Egyptian women culture. This scale was clustered
into six subscales: susceptibility (three items), seriousness (seven items), motivation (six items), benefits of BSE
(six items), barriers to BSE (six items) and confidence of BSE (ten items). The scale items have a 3 point Likert-like
format with the following coding: strongly disagree (1), neutral (2), and strongly agree (3). Higher scores indicate
this study showed that only 28.9% of the women in present study reported BSE and only 2(7.7%) of the women
performed BSE monthly, they were in illiterate and secondary level of education and from 41-60 years and 11
(43.2%) of the women performed BSE annually; they were in younger and older age, the majority of them were in
university level. This study showed that study participants had lack of knowledge about how performing BSE, its
benefit and were afraid of detecting lump. In addition, a positive significant correlation between family history of
breast cancer and previous breast problems and significant correlation between BSE Frequency and age. According
to the present results the participants are necessary to change their perception of susceptibility to breast cancer,
aware of the benefits of BSE and to be motivated to practice BSE on a regular basis. |
