Evaluation of women's breast cancer prevention behaviors: example of Türkiye

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the factors affecting women's behaviors toward breast cancer prevention.

This research, designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study, was conducted with 400 women. Research data were collected using a descriptive personal information form and the scale to measure factors influencing women's breast cancer prevention behaviors (ASSISTS). The forms were transferred to the online platform via Google and published as an online survey. The statistical significance was identified if the P -value was below 0.05.

The highest score on the ASSISTS is 165, and the lowest is 33. As women got older, it was determined that their scores in the scale's attitude ( P  = 0.013), motivation ( P  = 0.011), self-efficacy ( P  = 0.042), and self-care ( P  = 0.017) subdimensions were higher. Women with a high-income level exhibited higher levels of positive behavior than women with medium and low-income levels in the subscales of attitude ( P  = 0.026), motivation ( P  = 0.004), support systems ( P  = 0.041), and stress management ( P  = 0.044).

In the attitude and motivation subscales, women with pregnancy and childbirth experience showed higher levels of positive behavior in breast cancer prevention. Married women had higher ASSISTS scores than single women. Participants' breast cancer prevention behaviors were evaluated as positive. Advanced age, pregnancy, and childbirth experience are factors that affect positive behaviors in breast cancer prevention.