The Effectiveness of Education on the Health Beliefs and Practices Related to Breast Cancer Screening among Women Referred to Shahid Behtash Clinic, Lavizan Area, Tehran, Using Health Belief Model

The systematic application of screening methods helps early diagnosis and effective treatment of breast cancer. This study was conducted to assess the effects of education on health beliefs and practices of women regarding breast cancer screening using Health Belief Model (HBM). This quantitative experimental study was conducted on 144 women (case=72 and control=72) aged from 20 to 62 years in Shahid Behtash clinic, Lavizan area, Tehran. The data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire that was developed based on Health Belief Model. Educational intervention was delivered to case group based on components of HBM and behavioral targets in 3 sessions; each session lasting for 1 hour. Pre-intervention health beliefs and practice of both groups were evaluated and compared with those of four months later. Our findings indicated that educational interventions based on HBM considerably enhanced the case's knowledge comparing to control group and mean knowledge score was improved from 11.7 to 21.81(p<0.001). Educational intervention improved the mean scores attained from model constructs, so that mean score of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy in case group improved from 2.26 to 3.58, 1.93 to 6.24, 5.81 to 7.5, 4.57 to 13.79, and from 2 to 2.53, respectively. The results of present study revealed that educational interventions based on HBM can alter health beliefs of the society and considerably affect screening behavior like breast cancer screening.