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

NCT07149636 | Active Not Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: HBM-BSE-PUMCH-2023K8519
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 3,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Breast Neoplasms; Breast Self-Examination; Cancer Screening; Health Belief Model

Keywords

Breast Self-Examination; Breast Cancer Screening; Health Belief Model; Women's Health; Community Health Education; Preventive Health Behavior; Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Percentage of Participants Performing Regular Breast Self-Examination (BSE)

  Percentage of surveyed women who report performing BSE at least once per month, assessed through a standardized questionnaire at the time of study participation.

  Day 1

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Percentage of Participants Knowing the Correct Method of BSE

  Day 1

• Percentage of Participants Aware of the Importance of BSE

  Day 1

• Distribution of Self-Reported Barriers to Regular Health Examinations

  Day 1

Study Arms (1)

Community-Dwelling Women

Women above a certain age threshold residing in urban and suburban communities in Beijing, who meet inclusion criteria and participate in a cross-sectional survey based on the Health Belief Model regarding breast self-examination awareness and practice.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 99 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Self-identified females (including cisgender and transgender women) aged approximately 40 years and older.
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This study will recruit community-dwelling women aged approximately 40 years and above from multiple urban and suburban residential areas in Beijing, China. Participants will be permanent residents who have lived in the community for at least 6 months and are able to communicate effectively to complete the survey. The study population represents a diverse range of educational backgrounds, occupations, and health awareness levels. All participants will be enrolled during community-based health education and screening activities, and informed consent will be obtained prior to participation.

You may qualify if:

• 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.

You may not qualify if:

• 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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Peking Union Medical College Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Peking union medical college hospital

Beijing, 100730, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breast Neoplasms; Breast Self-Examination; Health Education

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Breast Diseases; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Self-Examination; Health Behavior; Behavior; Adherence Interventions; Medication Adherence; Patient Compliance; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2025
• First Posted: September 2, 2025
• Study Start: June 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 2, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: Start Date: 6 months after publication of the primary manuscript. End Date: Available for 3 years after publication.
• Access Criteria: Qualified researchers affiliated with academic or non-profit institutions may request access to the de-identified individual participant data (IPD) and supporting documents (study protocol, statistical analysis plan, informed consent form, and analytic code) for purposes of conducting scientifically valid analyses. Requests must include a research proposal outlining objectives, methodology, and intended use of the data, and will be reviewed by the study steering committee. Approved requestors will be required to sign a data sharing agreement and comply with applicable data protection regulations. Data will be shared through a secure, password-protected data repository.

Locations

CN (1)