Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The mortality rates of this disease are due to the lack of awareness about screening methods and late detection of breast cancer, which is high in Iran. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine breast self-examination (BSE) behaviors applying protection motivation theory (PMT). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to 410 women aged 40 - 65 years old in Tehran, Iran. The questionnaire was completed through self-reported for each of the participants. PMT theoretical variables and BSE behavior are the basis of the data collection procedure. All analyses were performed using SPSS 20 for the windows. One-wayANOVA, chi-Square test, Independent Samples t-test, logistic regression, and Pearson correlation coefficient were applied. We set 0.05 as a criterion for statistical significance. Results: The results indicated there were significant and positive correlations between the knowledge about breast cancer and self-efficacy of practicing BSE (r = 0.43, P < 0.001), response efficacy (r = 0.20, P < 0.001), and protection motivation (r = 0.25, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Healthcare providers may consider PMT as a framework for developing educational interventions aiming at improving women's BSE behavior.