Effects of nursing interventions planned with the health promotion models on the breast and cervical cancer early detection behaviors of the women

Objective: The study was conducted in order to determine the inhibiting factors in the breast and cervical cancer early detection behaviors of women over age 40 and to ensure them to perform the breast and cervical cancer early detection behaviors (monthly regular breast-self examination, clinical breast examination, having mammography scan and having pap smear test).Method: Research was carried out in two stages. The first phase of the research was carried out qualitatively in order to determine the inhibiting factors in the early detection behaviors of the women. 43 women were interviewed for breast cancer early detection behaviors while 35 women were interviewed for cervival cancer. Data were collected through semi-structured interview form and were analyzed through the merhod of content analysis. The second phase was the quantitative part. Research sample was composed of 100 women, 50 of whom constituted the experiment group and 50 of whom constituted the control group. It is an quasi-experimental study. In the collection of the data, Information Forms related to the Socio-Demographical attributes and the Previous Behaviors, Health Belief Model Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II-Health Responsibility Subscale were used.Findings: As a result of the obtained data, factors inhibiting the breast-cervical cancer early detection behaviors of the women were found as lack of knowledge of the women concerning the breast-cervical cancer and the early detection behaviors, deficiencies of health insurance and transport facilities, financial problems, appointment problems, absence of female doctors, embarrassment, lack of sensitivity-negligence, forgetting, difficulty in understanding the health care system, fear and fatalist approach were frequently addressed. As to the facilitating factors, they include informing the patients, attention and tolerance of the health personnel, cost free service, availability of the transportation means, improvements in the appointment system and reminding the patients via telephone. At the end of the nursing interventions performed by using the health promotion models, it was found that rates and perceptions of the women concerning the breast and cervical cancer early detection behaviors were higher in the experiment group when compared to the control group. Besides, a significant decrease was detected in the inhibiting factors perception of the experiment group.Conclusion: Positive changes observed in the breast and cervical cancer early detection behaviors of the women as a result of the nursing interventions shows the efficiency of the nursing interventions based on the Health Belief Model and the Health Promotion Model. Spreading these interventions to the national level is of importance in maintaining the continuity of the positive changes.Key Words: Health promotion models, Breast and cervical cancer, Nursing.