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

Objective: This study was conducted in an attempt to determine the preventing factors for women aged 60-75 regarding the behaviour aimed at early diagnosis of breast and cervix cancer, increase the participation in behaviours of early diagnosis of breast and cervix cancer (Breast Self Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), mammography and Pap smear test) and determine the efficiency of nursing interventions over the behaviours of protecting and developing the health. Method: The study was implemented in two phases. The first phase was conducted qualitatively in order to determine the obstacles in early diagnosis behaviours of elderly women. Regarding the early diagnosis behaviours, 46 women were interviewed for the breast cancer and 21 women were interviewed for the cervix cancer. The data were collected with the semi-structured interview form and analysed with the content analysis. The second phase was consisted of the quantitative section. In this experimental study, 50 women from the experimental group and 50 women from the control group were involved in the sample. Information form of socio-demographic features, Standardized Mini Mental State Test, Katz Index Activities of Daily Living, information form regarding the previous behaviours, screening behaviours monitoring form, Self Breast Examination Control List, Scale of Health Belief Model (HBMS), Self-Efficacy Scale, the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II-Health Responsibility Subscale were used for the collection of the data.Findings: As a result of the obtained findings, regarding breast and cervix cancer and the factors preventing early diagnosis behaviour of elderly women, it was found that ?lack of information, anxiety, neglect/delay, shame/religious belief and being unable to get an appointment, lack of doctor?s advice and approach of healthcare personnel? were effective upon the breast cancer and ?ignorance, shame/privacy, experience of the previous healthcare service, anxiety, old age and lack of healthcare personnel?s advice? were effective upon the cervix cancer. In this study, it was determined that aged women increasingly perform 4sufficient and effective Breast Self Examination, mammography, Pap smear test, their health perceptions develop; however, their intervention of performing Clinical Breast Examination is not effective. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the nursing interventions, which are performed by using the group health education based on Health Belief Model and the Health Promotion Model, as well as the brochure, film display, breast model and telephone reminder, cause positive changes on early diagnosis behaviours of breast and cervix cancer in of elderly women. It would be profitable for nurses who work in the first, second and third grades to perform the training of breast and cervix cancer nationally and regionally based on Health Belief Model and Health Development Model, and perform similar studies to assess their effects on old individuals with different age and cultural features in order to increase the participation in breast and cervix cancer screening. Key Words: Health Belief Model, Health Promotion Model, Elderly, Breast and Cervical Cancer, Nursing.