Breast cancer worry of women and risk factors with approaches to early diagnosis methods of cancer

Breast cancer is an important public health problem that poses a threat to all women. Many women worry to get breast cancer. Women's worry affects their perception of the risk of breast cancer and their attitude toward early detection methods. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the breast cancer worry of the adult women who applied to the family health centres in Tokat and to evaluate the approaches to the early diagnosis methods for breast cancer and determine the risk factors. Data for this cross-sectional and descriptive study was gathered from 570 adult women who are at the age of 20 or older through a face-to-face questionnaire and the Breast Cancer Worry Scale. All the participants were registered in family health centres in Tokat province. The mean age of the women was 40,5±12,6, 81,8% were married, 55,6% of them were graduate of secondary school and above. The breast cancer worry scale was low for 86,8% of women and high for 13,2%. The difference between the age group and breast cancer worry was statistically significant (p=0,006). There is a significant difference between breast cancer worry level and reproductive risk factors along with healthy habits (p<0,05). 96,5% of women were found at low risk and 3,5% of women were found at moderate risk. In conclusion, women's breast cancer worry level was low in our study and their risk perception was not sufficient.