Evaluating the Effect of Education based on the Health Belief Model in taking the preventive behaviors for breast cancer among female health workers

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women around the world. Early detection of this cancer plays an important role in its treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of educational intervention based on health belief model in adopting breast cancer prevention behaviors in female health workers in Torbat Heydariyeh.

This study was a quasi-experimental intervention with a control group, which was conducted in 1398 on 70 female health workers working in health centers. Data were collected from both intervention and control groups by a valid and reliable questionnaire before and after the intervention and analyzed by Chi-square, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon statistical interventions version 16. SPSS in software.

The mean age of the participants in the experimental group was 77.42±8.43 years and the control group 40.09±8.21 years (P=0.178). According to the results obtained after interventional education, the mean score of Health Belief Model constructs (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits of breast self-test, perceived barriers of breast self-test, perceived self-efficacy of breast self-test, perceived benefits of mammography and perceived barriers of mammography) showed a significant increase in the experimental group in comparison to the control group (P<0.001). It should be noted that the mean score for perceived self-efficacy of mammography was not significant.

Health belief model training improved participantschr('39') perceptions. Therefore, the use of this educational model in other educational and prevention programs is recommended.