Health Belief Model-Based Survey on Breast Self-Examination Awareness and Practice Among Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Women

This observational study aims to evaluate the current status of breast self-examination (BSE) practices and related influencing factors among middle-aged and older women in urban communities, using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the theoretical framework. The HBM is a well-established public health model for understanding preventive health behaviors, focusing on perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. The study will recruit community-dwelling women above approximately 40 years of age who have adequate cognitive and communication abilities. Data collection will be conducted through structured questionnaires administered during community health education activities. The survey will collect demographic information (e.g., age, occupation, education level, family history of breast cancer) and BSE-related variables, including awareness of breast cancer, perceived benefits and barriers to screening, knowledge of BSE methods, and sources of health information. The primary outcome is the prevalence of regular BSE practices among participants. Secondary outcomes include factors associated with regular BSE performance, such as age group, occupation type, education level, family history, and knowledge of BSE techniques. Logistic regression will be used to identify independent predictors of regular BSE practices. Findings from this study will help identify key gaps between awareness and practice, guide targeted community-based health education, and provide evidence for developing accessible, culturally appropriate breast cancer screening strategies in China. Ultimately, the results are expected to improve early detection rates and reduce the proportion of locally advanced breast cancer cases.

Sex

Female

Minimum age

40 Years

Maximum age

99 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Self-identified females aged approximately 40 years and older.
* Permanent residents of the selected community for at least 6 months.
* Able to communicate and understand the survey questions clearly.
* Provide informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of breast cancer or other serious breast diseases requiring ongoing treatment.
* Cognitive impairment, severe mental illness, or other conditions affecting the ability to answer the questionnaire.
* Temporary residents or those planning to leave the community within 6 months.
* Refusal to fill out survey.