Health Beliefs and Breast Cancer Screening in Rural Appalachia: An Evaluation of the Health Belief Model.

PURPOSE: This study explored the role of the Health Belief Model in predicting breast cancer screening among women in rural Appalachia. Health beliefs (perceived susceptibility to breast cancer, severity of breast cancer, and benefits and barriers to screening) were used to predict health behavior (mammogram frequency).

METHOD: A total of 170 women aged 18-78 were recruited at a free health clinic in central Appalachia. Women completed surveys that assessed demographic characteristics, mammogram frequency, and perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits and barriers to mammography.

FINDINGS: Consistent with expectations, women with objectively elevated risks for breast cancer (history of abnormal mammograms or family history of breast cancer) perceived themselves to be at higher risk for breast cancer, and those with a history of abnormal mammograms were more likely to receive mammograms regularly. In addition, older women expected their prognosis to be marginally poorer following a diagnosis, perceived greater benefits and fewer barriers to mammography, and were significantly more likely to receive mammograms regularly. Consistent with the Health Belief Model, fewer perceived barriers to mammography predicted greater mammogram frequency. However, the model was not fully supported because perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits to mammography did not predict mammogram frequency.

CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the importance of reducing real and perceived barriers to screening in order to improve mammography rates among rural populations.