Knowledge, facilitators and perceived barriers for early detection of breast cancer among elderly Turkish women

This article deals with elderly Turkish women's experiences with breast self examination, clinical breast examination and mammography screening, as well as perceived barriers and facilitators in the theoretical framework of the Health Belief Model and the Health Promotion Model. This is a qualitative study performed on 46 elderly women aged 60-75 years. Data were collected with focus group interviews and analyzed systematically with qualitative analysis techniques to determine themes concerning knowledge and facilitators of and perceived barriers to early detection of breast cancer among elderly women. Barriers to screening were insufficient knowledge, fear, neglect/postponement, embarrassment/religious beliefs, inability to make an appointment, lack of a physician's recommendation and health professionals' attitudes. Facilitating factors were being informed about screening, fear, awareness of cancer screening, familial history of breast cancer and social support, making an appointment, health professionals' communication and physicians' recommendations. Public health nurses and health professionals from other health disciplines should be aware of elderly women's need for knowledge about screening, understand elderly women's fear and worries about their health and know barriers to and facilitators of screening.