The effect of nursing interventions on high school students' health beliefs and early diagnosis behaviors towards testicular cancer

The Effect of Nursing Interventions on High School Students' Health Beliefs and Early Diagnosis Behaviors Towards Testicular Cancer Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of nursing interventions on high school students' beliefs about testicular cancer and testicular self-examination. Methods: The quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test control group was conducted in two mixed-education high schools in the central districts of Erzurum between September 2022 and September 2024. The research was conducted on a total of 128 students, 64 students in the experimental group and 64 students in the control group, by performing a priori power analysis. Data were collected with the Socio-Demographic and Testicular Self-Examination Characteristics Information Form, and Champion's Health Belief Model Scale for Testicular Cancer Screening. Chi-square test, significance test of the difference between two replicates and two means were used in the analysis of data. Before starting the study, permission was obtained from the ethics committee and the Provincial Directorate of National Education, students, and their parents. Results: After the interventions, significant differences were found in the perceived sensitivity and seriousness findings of the high school students in the experimental group regarding early diagnosis of testicular cancer. While there was a difference in the perception of benefits and self-efficacy regarding testicular self-examination, no difference was found in the perception of obstacles. When the status of the experimental and control groups performing testicular self-examination was examined in the first month follow-up after the training, 32.8% of the individuals in the experimental group performed regular testicular self-examination, while this rate was 7.8% in the control group, and the difference was found to be statistically significant.. Conclusion: In line with the results obtained from this study, it is recommended that interventions using the health belief model be planned and health education be disseminated to improve high school students' testicular cancer early diagnosis behaviors.