The Risk Level of Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness Among the Turkish Women Aged 65 Years and Older

This study was conducted in order to determine risk level of breast cancer and breast cancer awareness among the women aged 65 years. The sample of the study was composed of 445 women aged over >= 65 years. The data were gathered with Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool and Champion's Health Belief Model Scale for breast cancer (HBMS) and were evaluated with percentages and Kruskal Wallis test. It was found out that 1.6% of the women were under high risk while 2.7% of them were under very high risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer risk for those with personal breast cancer history was very high (mean risk score (MRS): 549.58 +/- 48.26) and breast cancer risk level of the women whose mothers and sisters had breast cancer history was high (MRS: 328.46 +/- 107.02). It was noted in the study that as women's breast cancer risk level went up so did their mean HBMS scores for susceptibility and health motivation (p<0.05). Women who had personal breast cancer history, whose family members had breast cancer history, whose menarche ages were <= 11 years, who gave the first birth after the age of 30 had higher MRS as compared with the other women. Those who were susceptible to breast cancer and whose health motivation was high showed higher risk for breast cancer.