Comparing the Effectiveness of Three Educational Interventions based on Health Belief Model on Mammography Screening Behaviors in Women above 40 Years in Isfahan, Iran

Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer among women worldwide so that، if detected in early stages، it would be controllable. Mammography is considered as the most exact means of detecting breast cancer in the earlier stages. This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness of three educational interventions on knowledge and health beliefs regarding breast cancer screening behaviors in women above 40 years in Isfahan، Iran. This population-based، experimental study was conducted on 96 women above 40 years in Isfahan، Iran. These women were randomly divided into three interventional groups (group education along with book، group education، and mailing the book by post). Data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire which covered demographic data، knowledge questions and questions about constructs of the health belief model (HBM) (based on Champion’s health belief model questionnaire). The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics such as chi-square، paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) at the set significance level α = 0. 05. There was no statistical significant difference in mean scores of the knowledge and the HBM constructs between the three groups before the intervention. Whereas three months after the intervention، there was a statistical significant difference observed in mean scores of the knowledge and model structures between the three groups. The statistical tests showed a statistical significant difference between the mean scores of the knowledge and most of the HBM’s constructs before and after three months of intervention in each of the study groups (P ≤ 0. 001). Among the methods examined in this study، group education along with books has been increasingly awarded. As a result، their perceived sensitivity، severity، and perceived benefits increased and perceived barriers to mammography decreased. This issue demands to the design of combined educational programs.