Attitudes and Related Factors of Women in Turkey Towards Cancer Screening: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Year 2024, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 118 - 126, 28.10.2024

Resmiye Kaya Odabaş , Rukiye Demir

https://doi.org/10.30934/kusbed.1471350

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine women's attitudes and related factors towards cancer screening in Turkey.

Methods: This analytical-cross-sectional study was conducted between June and September 2022. The universe of the study consisted of all women between the ages of 30-70 in Turkey, and the sample included 335 women. The data of the study were collected online with the “Personal Information Form’’ and “Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening”.

Results: The average Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening total score of the women participating in the study was 84.36±14.55. Of the women who participated in the study, 33.1% did not perform breast self-examination, 63.1% did not perform clinical breast examination, 49.5% did not perform Pap smear and HPV-DNA testing, 60.9% did not perform mammography, 76.1% did not perform fecal occult blood testing and 93.8% did not perform colonoscopy. It was determined that education status, breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, Pap Smear and HPV-DNA test frequencies, and knowing the places where cancer screening was performed affected the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening score averages (F = 8.729, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: It was determined that the attitudes of the women participating in the study towards cancer screening were moderate. Several factors are done affect attitudes towards cancer screening.

Keywords

Attitudes towards cancer screening, breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, fecal occult blood, mammography, pap smear test

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