Relationship of Health Beliefs of Kermanian women and Participation in Mammography

Breast cancer is the most common form of malignancy to affect women. Early detection of breast cancer will have been effective in reducing mortality and increasing women's quality of life. In order to encourage women to perform mammography, we have to change their beliefs and attitude, therefore, recognition of health beliefs is an important issue to be considered. To determine the relationship of health beliefs of Kerman women and participation in mammography based on health belief model. This research was a case–control study that independent variable related to health belief including (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, cause to action, self –efficacy) and dependent variable was participation in mammography. According to eligibility requirement for the study, 368 people were enrolled by simple and random sampling and classified into two groups (184 with mammography and 184 without mammography). Data were collected by health belief- model questionnaire and were analyzed by SPSS software. Findings show a significant correlation between some dimensions of health belief model including perceived benefits of mammography and cause to action and participation in mammography and were observed significant difference between two groups with regard to age, history of benign mass of breast, family history of breast cancer. Recognition of benefits and advantages of performance of mammography and recommending the people to performance of mammography lead to women to performance of this test. It is important to have a better understanding of breast cancer screening behaviors of the women and the factors that influence utilization of them. It is necessary for health care professionals, especially nurses who have most contact with women to have knowledge about the factors that use of mammography.