Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between fear of breast cancer, risk factors, and early diagnosis behavior of women aged 20 or above.
Method: It is a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Findings: It was found that 17.3% of the women conducted breast self-examination, 14.0% underwent clinical breast examination, and that 9.3% of them underwent mammography. The predictors regularly affecting early diagnosis behaviors were identified through logistic regression. Different predictors for breast cancer diagnostic behaviors were found in each age group.
Practice implications: This study is important in terms of taking into account the age factor in the practices aiming to increase the diagnostic behavior of healthcare personnel, especially nurses.
Conclusion: It was concluded that there were different predictors of breast cancer diagnostic behaviors in both age groups of the women in the study.
Keywords: Turkey; breast cancer; breast self-examination; fear; mammography.
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