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Table 4 Women’s responses to the different attitude items of the HBM

From: Using the health belief model to predict breast self examination among Saudi women

Attitude

Disagree/ Strongly disagree

Neutral

Agree/ Strongly agree

 

no

%

no

%

no

%

Seriousness

      

 BC is a hopeless disease

340

78.5

71

16.4

22

5.1

 I think I will not live more than 5 ys. with BC

286

66.2

108

25

38

8.8

 When I think about BC my heart beat faster

228

52.7

77

17.8

128

29.5

 I am afraid even to think about BC

215

49.7

55

12.7

163

37.6

 If I got BC this will threaten my marital life

166

38.3

138

31.9

128

29.8

 All my life will be changed if I got BC

160

37.0

124

28.7

148

34.3

 I think the problem about BC will persist long

98

22.6

152

35.1

183

42.3

 The thought of BC scare me

81

18.7

47

10.9

305

70.4

Susceptibility

      

 I am susceptible to breast cancer in the future

188

43.4

216

49.9

29

6.7

 I feel that I am susceptible to breast cancer

242

55.9

158

36.5

33

7.6

 I think I am susceptible to breast cancer more than anyone

280

64.7

132

30.5

21

4.8

 My personal chance of getting breast cancer is big

253

58.6

161

37.3

18

4.1

 I am highly susceptible to breast cancer next 10 years

231

53.3

187

43.2

15

3.5

 Confidence

      

 I know how to perform BSE

134

30.9

145

33.5

154

35.6

 I am confident in performing BSE correctly

117

27.0

183

42.3

133

30.7

 I am sure of the steps of BSE

152

35.1

170

39.3

111

25.6

 I can use the correct parts of my fingers when performing BSE

139

32.1

168

28.8

126

29.1

 I am confident I can discover breast tumors by performing BSE

152

35.1

200

46.2

81

18.7

 I can discover breast tumor at size of big spot

90

20.8

148

34.2

195

45.0

 I can discover breast tumor at size of small peas

172

39.8

181

41.8

80

18.4

 I am able to discover breast tumors alone through performing BSE

178

41.1

193

44.6

62

14.3

 I can discover breast tumor at size of small spot

188

43.4

197

45.5

48

11.1

 I am able to differentiate between normal and abnormal breast tissue through BSE

196

45.3

171

39.5

66

15.2

 When I look at mirror I can identify abnormal changes in my breast

127

29.4

130

30.0

176

40.6

Benefits

      

 Performing BSE monthly help in early detection of BC

26

6.0

67

15.5

340

78.5

 Performing BSE monthly help in detection of tumors before going to doctors

40

9.2

94

21.7

299

69.1

 Performing BSE monthly will decrease complications of BC if I got it

38

8.8

117

27.1

277

64.1

 Performing BSE decrease the chance of making operation if I got it

52

12.0

147

33.0

234

54.0

 When I performed BSE I became self-satisfied

57

13.2

155

35.9

220

50.9

 Performing BSE decrease the anxiety about BC

44

10.2

116

26.8

273

63.0

Barriers

      

 Performing BSE is a trivial thing

370

85.6

42

09.7

20

4.7

 Performing BSE is unfavorable thing

276

63.7

94

21.7

63

14.6

 No private place at home to perform BSE

349

80.7

57

13.2

26

6.1

 Feeling of shame and embarrassment when performing BSE

310

71.6

70

16.2

59

12.2

 Performing BSE takes long time

239

55.2

162

37.4

32

7.4

 Performing BSE increase my anxiety about liability of having BC

244

56.3

95

22.0

94

21.7

 I think getting breast cancer is a destiny and BSE will not change it

336

77.6

68

15.7

29

6.7

 Motivation factors

      

 Keeping my good health is important to me

5

1.2

15

03.5

413

95.3

 I wish to discover health problems that occur early

9

2.1

15

03.5

409

94.4

 I always seek new information that improve my health

19

4.4

49

11.3

365

84.3

 I feel the importance of activities that improve my health

44

10.1

49

11.3

340

78.6

 My diet contains complete and balanced meals

116

26.8

133

30.7

184

42.5

 I practice exercise at least 3 times weekly

180

41.5

93

21.5

106

37.0

 I perform periodic medical checkup

204

47.1

70

16.2

159

36.7