Effect of Educational Intervention through a Campaign on Health Anxiety Caused by Cancer and the Participation Rate of Middle-Aged People in Colorectal Cancer Screening Using the Health Belief Mode

Colorectal cancer is a global health problem, but most of these patients are curable through early diagnosis. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an educational intervention through a campaign on health anxiety and participation of middle-aged people (ages 50-70 years) in CRC screening based on the Health Belief Model in urban areas.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 390 people in age range 50-70 years in Parsian in 2021. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale and Health Anxiety Questionnaire were used to collect data. The educational intervention was carried out in the form of a campaign through educational video clips and a banner for four weeks. Data analysis was done in SPSS 26 software using descriptive statistics and univariate analysis of covariance.

There was a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the mean scores of the Health Belief Model scale (knowledge, perceived severity, perceived sensitivity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, and action guide) and the health anxiety questionnaire (consequences of disease and probability of disease) after the intervention (p<0.001).

The constructs of the Health Belief Model are good determinants of the action of high-risk individuals to undergo fecal occult blood testing. This highlights the necessity of implementing comprehensive educational programs focusing on the constructs of the Health Belief Model in this population.