| Background: Fear and fatalism have been proposed as factors affecting breast cancer screening, but the
evidence is not strong. This study aimed to determine relationships of fear and fatalism with breast cancer
screening behavior among Tabriz women in Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross- sectional study, 370 women
referred to 12 health centers in Tabriz were selected with two-stage cluster sampling and data regarding breast
cancer screening, fatalism and fear of breast cancer were collected respectively with a checklist for screening
performance, Champions Fear and Pow Fatalism Questionnaires. Data were analyzed by logistic regression with
SPSS software version 16. Results: Only 43% and 23% of participants had undergone breast self- examination
and clinical breast examination. Among women older than 40 years, 38.2% had mammography history and only
2.7% of them had done it annually. Although fatalism and fear had a stimulating effects on breast cancer screening
performance th relationships were not significant (P>0.05). There was a negative significant correlation between
fear and fatalism (r= -0.24, p=0.000). On logistic regression analysis, age (OR=1.037, p<0.01) and income status
(OR= 0.411, p<0.05) significantly explained BSE and age (OR=1.051, p<0.01) and body mass index (OR= 0.879,
p<0.01) explained CBE. Also BMI (OR= 0.074, p<0.05) and income status (OR=0.155, p<0.01) was significantly
effective for mammography following. Conclusions: Breast cancer screening behavior is inappropriate and
affected by family livelihood status and lifestyle leads to weight gain, so that for promoting of screening behaviors,
economic support to families, lifestyle modification and public education are suggested |