Knowledge, attitude and beliefs women attending mammography units have regarding breast cancer and early diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE Breast cancer is an extremely important issue that threats women's health; it is the most common illness that leads to death in women, worldwide. The purpose of this descriptive-comparative study was to determine the knowledge, attitude, and beliefs women attending mammography units have regarding breast cancer and early diagnosis. METHODS The study population comprised 333 women visiting second and third stage mammography units for a mammography, and 1018 women visiting first stage mammography units at Cancer Surveying and Training Centres. Questionnaires determining the descriptive characteristics of women, and their attitudes towards breast cancer and early diagnosis, a knowledge evaluation form, and the Turkish version of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale was used to gather data. RESULTS The rate of obtaining information about early diagnosis in breast cancer (88.6%), information about breast self-examination (87.6%), conducting breast self-examination (61.8%), and undergoing a clinical breast examination (99.6%) were higher in the group of women attending first stage mammography units in comparison to women attending other mammography units. The knowledge score (71.8+18.8) of women attending first stage mammography units regarding breast cancer and early diagnosis was also higher in comparison to women attending other mammography units (p=.00). Sub-scales of the breast cancer health belief model scale were high for women attending Cancer Surveying and Training Centres, while their perception of self breast examination limitations and mammography limitations were low. CONCLUSION Based on the effect of peer education, this study proves that women attending first stage mammography unit have a higher level of knowledge about breast cancer and early diagnosis, and more positive health beliefs regarding breast cancer and screenings in comparison to women attending other mammography units.