Effect of an Intervention on the Breast Cancer Screening Behavior in Women: Application of Integrated Behavioral Model

Abstract

Background: Screening is the most important action in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. This study investigates the impact of educational intervention based on the integrated behavioral model on breast cancer screening behavior in women in Karaj City, 2016.

Methods: This semi‑experimental study was conducted on 138 women who were attended to health centers in Mohammad Shahr city. The samples were selected using cluster sampling and were randomly divided into two groups, experimental and control group. Data gathering tool was a four‑part questionnaire (demographic characteristics, knowledge, Champion’s Health Belief Scale, subjective norms). Two 50‑min sessions were held for educational intervention in the experimental group. Training was presented through lecture, questioning and answering and group discussion. The data were completed in three steps (before, immediately after and 2 months after the intervention) and were analyzed using SPSS 16 software.

Results: The results showed that the mean score of all structures except the perceived benefits of mammography and mammography behavior have a significant difference in the intervention group than the control group in 2 months after intervention (P < 0.001). In all the studied structures, except the perceived benefits of mammography (P = 0.083) and mammographic behavior (P = 0.156), there was a significant difference between the two groups before and immediately after the intervention (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The finding of this study showed that the efficiency and effectiveness of an educational intervention based on health belief model along with subjective norms that emphasize the opinions of others about the behaviors of individuals also has a very dramatic effect on the promotion of breast cancer screening behaviors.

Keywords: Breast cancer, education, integrated behavioral model, screening behaviors, subjective norms