Using Health Belief Model to Probe Female Adolescent Perception About Breast Cancer in Riyadh City

Journal Article

مستخلص المنشور

Abstract: The perceived of those susceptible to breast cancer (BC) such as female adolescent is significant. Early detection lead to early prevention. The present study aimed to probe the perception of female adolescent at age group of 15-20 years in Riyadh about BC (phenomena) and the relationship between demographic characteristics of students and their perception regarding BC as a way of improving high school student toward health knowledge. A cross-sectional prospective study conducted among governmental and private school students. The study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from February to May 2014. A Representative probability sample of secondary school girls (n=917) in both Governmental and private was recruited for conducting this study. A structured questionnaire was developed which included part about four constructs of Health Belief Model and other parts about sociodemographic data and items related to students’ source of information about BC. The validity and reliability for the scale was established. It was found that the perceived level of participants was moderate (M=3; SD =1.07) which provide an important baseline data about perception of toward BC. It is crucial to improve students level of perception toward BC and practice of breast self-examination (BSE) among female adolescent students within community. A further study is needed to explore the perception of female adolescent using both quantitative and qualitative methodology to elicit cultural issue in BC perception and breast self-exam.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Breast Self-exam, Female, Adolescent, Health Belief Model