title: Breast and Cervical Cancer Related Practices of Female Doctors and Nurses Working at a University Hospital in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast and cervical cancers are among the most frequent and most fatal cancers in women. Life span of patients may be increased and quality of life improved through early diagnosis and treatment. This investigation was performed in order to determine knowledge and practices of female health personnel working at a university hospital regarding breast and cervical cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive investigation was performed in Erciyes University Hospitals in 2014. A total of 524 female health personnel were included in the study. Data were collected through a questionnaire of 36 questions prepared by the researchers. The Chi square test and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study group was 32.8±6.9 years, 18.3% being doctors and 81.7% nurses. Of the study group, 60.5% stated that they performed self breast-examination, 4.4% underwent HPV testing, 26.3% thought about taking an HPV test, 34.7% of those who are 40 years and over had mammography regularly and 19.5% of those who were married had a Pap smear conducted regularly. Most important causes of not performing the methods for early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers are "forget and neglect".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that female doctors and nurses do not pay sufficient attention to screening programs for breast and cervical cancers. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment should be emphasized during the undergraduate education and in-service training programs. Health condition of personnel and their utilization of preventive health care should be followed by occupational physicians.
authors: Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Public Health-Kayseri, Turkey E-mail : gunayos@erciyes.edu.tr.
authors: Meryem
authors: M
authors: Kabacaoglu
authors: Belgin
authors: B
authors: Oral
authors: Elcin
authors: E
authors: Balci
authors: Osman
authors: O
authors: Gunay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health