Survey of Prostate Cancer-Preventive Behaviors Based on the Health Belief Model Constructs among Military men

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men after lung cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. In describing the epidemiology of prostate cancer, it is considered as a preventable disease. The aim of this study was to investigate and explain preventive behaviors of prostate cancer based on the health belief model structures among Military men.
This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 Military men who were selected randomly from Military Centers in the Hormozgan province. Data collection was performed via a questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics, items regarding HBM constructs, and a performance checklist. Data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods in SPSS software with version of 22 (frequencies, mean and standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression coefficient).
the study highlighted a significant relationship between mean scores of perceived susceptibility, benefits and self-efficacy with the Military men’s performance on adopting the preventive behaviors of prostate cancer (p0.05). Also among the health belief model constructs, perceived barriers and self-efficacy were the most important predictor of prostate cancer preventive behavior among Military men (p ≤ 0.001).
This study suggests that health service providers or health professionals should pay attention to predictive constructs’ (perceived barriers and benefits and self-efficacy) in designing and implementing health education programs regarding prostate cancer and its preventive behaviors.