Use of the health belief model in determining frequency of breast self-examination.
The purpose of this research was to identify the relationships of attitudes about breast self-examination and breast cancer to the frequency of breast self-examination. The health belief model was used as a theoretical base. Likert scales were developed for the independent variables of susceptibility, seriousness, benefit, barriers, and health motivation; the dependent variable was frequency of breast self-examination. A convenience sample of 301 women was drawn from a large metropolitan city. Self-administered questionnaires contained the developed scales, a measure of frequency of breast self-examination, and demographic variables. Results supported the health belief model's prediction of frequency of breast self-examination (R = .51; p less than or equal to .01). In addition, the variables of seriousness, benefits, barriers, and health motivation discriminated groupings according to frequency of breast self-examination. Results support the relationship of the health belief model variable to the behavior of breast self-examination Nursing implications are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001940:Breast; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010173:Palpation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population