title: The knowledge and attitudes of breast self-examination and mammography in a group of women in a rural area in western Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer appears to be a disease of both the developing and developed worlds. Among Turkish women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to determine levels of knowledge about breast cancer and to evaluate health beliefs concerning the model that promotes breast self- examination (BSE) and mammography in a group of women aged 20-64 in a rural area of western Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  244 women were recruited by means of cluster sampling in this study. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic variables, a risk factors and signs of breast cancer form and the adapted version of Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). Bivariate correlation analysis, Chi square test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis were performed throughout the data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the women was 37.7 +/- 13.7. 49.2% of women were primary school graduates, 67.6% were married. Although 76.6% of the women in this study reported that they had heard or read about breast cancer, our study revealed that only 56.1% of them had sufficient knowledge of breast cancer, half of whom had acquired the information from health professionals. Level of breast cancer knowledge was the only variable significantly associated with the BSE and mammography practice (p = 0.011, p = 0.007). BSE performers among the study group were more likely to be women who exhibited higher confidence and perceived greater benefits from BSE practice, and those who perceived fewer barriers to BSE performance and possessed knowledge of breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By using the CHBMS constructs for assessment, primary health care providers can more easily understand the beliefs that influence women's BSE and mammography practice.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey. pinarerbaydundar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pinar Erbay
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Dündar
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: Beyhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Gökçe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haspolat
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akyildiz
authors.forename: Sümeyra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cakiroglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D014421:Turkey; D016387:Women's Health