Health Belief, Behavior Intention, and Health Behaviors Related to Colorectal Cancer Screening in Taiwan

I-Pei Lin, Ding-Tien Chung, Li-Yun Lee, Hsiang-Ju Hsu and Shu-Ching Chen
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I-Pei Lin: Department of Nursing, Ten-Chan General Hospital, Chung-Li, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan
Ding-Tien Chung: Department of Family Medicine, Ten-Chan General Hospital, Chung-L, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan
Li-Yun Lee: Department of Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 515, Taiwan
Hsiang-Ju Hsu: Department of Nursing, Ten-Chan General Hospital, Chung-Li, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan
Shu-Ching Chen: School of Nursing and Geriatric and Long-Term Care Research Center, College of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-10

Abstract: Health belief and behavior intention affect subsequent health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of health belief, behavior intention, and health behavior, and to identify the factors related to health behaviors in adults receiving colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study recruited patients receiving a CRC screening from the cancer screening outpatient department of a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Demographic and health characteristics were recorded, and participants were assessed using Champion’s health belief model scale, cancer screening intention scale, and the health protective behavior scale. Of the 125 subjects (aged 49–75 years), 27.2% reported active screening; the rest passively received screening after doctor referral. Those who were doctor-referred had lower levels of health behavior, including general behavior, self-knowledge, and health care. Positive health behaviors related to CRC screening were associated with not smoking, greater seriousness in health belief, more confidence in health belief, consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, and motivation for CRC screening; these factors explained 35.0% of the variance in positive health behaviors related to CRC screening. A comprehensive education program encouraging CRC cancer screening should include access to available resources and encourage positive health belief and behavior intention related to this important cancer screening activity.

Keywords: colorectal cancer screening; health belief; behavior intention; health behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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