Determining the factors that affect breast cancer and self breast examination beliefs of Turkish nurses in academia

Abstract

Purpose: To define factors that affect the performance status of BSE and confidence of student nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the academic year 2010-2011 in a nursing faculty in Izmir, Turkey. "Informative data form" and "Champion's Revised Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS)" were used as data collection forms. Results: The mean age of the participant nurses was 21.0±1.49. The mean CHMS scores of the student nurses were as follows: perceived susceptibility regarding breast cancer, 7.78±2.46; perceived seriousness regarding breast cancer, 22.4±5.43; perceived benefit regarding BSE application, 20.5±4.45; perceived barriers regarding BSE application, 23.8±7.13; perceived confidence regarding BSE application, 36.3±7.78; the mean score of health motivation sub-scale, 25.7±4.59; and mean of the total score of the scale, 36.5±15.01. Conclusions: The outcomes obtained in this study indicated the importance of better education to student nurses, who have a key role in teaching preventive health behaviour including BSE to society and other university students as colleagues.