TÜRK FEN VE SAĞLIK DERGİSİ, cilt.5, sa.3, ss.124-134, 2024 (Hakemli Dergi)
Purpose: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess prostate cancer screening behaviors and health beliefs
related to prostate cancer screening among individuals aged 50 and over.
Material and Methods: The study sample consisted of 72 men aged 50 and over receiving treatment at the orthopedics and
traumatology clinic of a university hospital. Data were collected between December 20, 2022, and March 20, 2023, using a "Personal
Information Form" and the "Prostate Cancer Screening Health Belief Model Scale". Data analysis involved the use of frequency
distributions, means, standard deviations, Chi-square analyses, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 61.59±8.51 years. It was found that 22.2% of the participants had
undergone Prostate-Specific Antigen testing, 73.6% had no knowledge about prostate cancer, and 75% had no knowledge about early
detection tests for prostate cancer. Furthermore, participants who had knowledge about prostate cancer and early detection, had a
family history of prostate cancer, and considered undergoing prostate examination had a higher rate of undergoing Prostate-Specific
Antigen testing. Those who had never undergone a prostate examination, had no knowledge about prostate cancer and early
detection tests, and did not plan to undergo prostate examination within the next six months had higher scores on the barrier
perception scale, while those who had undergone Prostate-Specific Antigen testing and planned to undergo prostate examination
within the next six months had higher scores on the health motivation perception scale.
Conclusion: The study revealed a low rate of Prostate-Specific Antigen testing for early detection of prostate cancer, and participants'
knowledge and health beliefs and perceptions related to prostate cancer and early detection tests were identified as key factors
influencing prostate cancer screening behaviors.
Keywords: Health belief model; Prostate cancer; Screening