Journals / Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 17 Sayı: 2

Breast Cancer Worry and Associated Factors Among Female University Students: A Cross- Sectional Study

Meme Kanseri Endişe Düzeyi ve İlişkili Olabilecek Faktörlerin İncelenmesi

Filiz Salman Saraç(SULEYMAN DEMIREL UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-2107-0545
Altun Baksi(SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8267-2254
Şengül Horzum(SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0007-4477-631X
Ümmü Sena Bilgiç(SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0000-9803-2999
Pages
235–244
Publication Date
2026-08-24
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It was found that 62% of students had made self-breast examinations at least one time in their life, 12,1% had breast problems, and 26,5% had breast cancer worry.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aim: The study aimed to examine the level of breast cancer worry and the factors that might be associated with it among university students.
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Key Findings & Data:Method: This cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted on 347 female university students.
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Conclusion & Impact:It was found that 62% of students had made self-breast examinations at least one time in their life, 12,1% had breast problems, and 26,5% had breast cancer worry.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Meme kanseri · Endişe · Anksiyete

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to examine the level of breast cancer worry and the factors that might be associated with it among university students. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted on 347 female university students. The data was collected using the Descriptive Characteristic Form and Breast Cancer Worry Scale and evaluated with descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean age of participants is 20.65±2.18 (min-max=18-35), and the mean score of the breast cancer worry scale is 8.24±4.7 (min-max=0-20). 69,5% of the students are studying health-related departments, 51% are using the web for medical research, and 13,3% have breast cancer history in their families. It was found that 62% of students had made self-breast examinations at least one time in their life, 12,1% had breast problems, and 26,5% had breast cancer worry. Factors contributing to worry about breast cancer include age (OR=0.84, p=0.040), being a third-year student (OR=2.29, p=0.049), having a family retirement fund (OR=2.06, p=0.042), knowing the breast cancer risk factors (OR=2.24, p=0.036), and having had a clinical breast examination before (OR=3.05, p=0.014). It was determined that those who know breast cancer risk factors had 2.24 times the odds of breast cancer worry, and those who had undergone a clinical breast examination had 3.05 times the odds of breast cancer worry. Conclusion: Examining the research findings reveals the level of breast cancer worry is low among university students. Also, it was found that breast cancer worry is affected by situations like age, social security, knowing the breast cancer risk factors, and having had a clinical breast examination before.

Özet

Amaç: Bu araştırma üniversite öğrencilerinde meme kanseri endişe düzeyi ve ilişkili olabilecek faktörlerin incelenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı-kesitsel türde olan araştırmanın örneklemini bir üniversitede öğrenim gören 347 kadın öğrenci oluşturmuştur. Tanıtıcı Özellikler Formu ve Meme Kanseri Endişe Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanan veriler tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve ikili lojistik regresyon analizi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin yaş ortalaması 20,65±2,18 (min-max =18-35) ve meme kanseri endişesi ölçeği puan ortalaması 8,24±4,7 (min-max=0-20)’dir. Öğrencilerin %69,5’i sağlıkla ilgili bölümde okumakta, %51’i sağlıkla ilgili bilgi arayışında interneti kullanmakta ve %13,3’ünün ailesinde meme kanseri öyküsü bulunmaktadır. Öğrencilerin %62’sinin hayatında en az bir defa kendi kendine meme muayenesi yaptığı, %12,1’inin meme probleminin olduğu ve %26,5’inde meme kanseri endişesinin olduğu belirlenmiştir. Meme kanseri endişesini etkileyen faktörler arasında; yaş (OR=0,84, p=0,040), üçüncü sınıfta olma (OR=2,29, p=0,049), aile emeklilik fonuna sahip olma (OR=2,06, p=0,042), meme kanseri risk faktörlerini bilme (OR=2,24, p=0,036) ve daha önce klinik meme muayenesi yaptırma (OR=3,05, p=0,014) durumu yer almaktadır (p<0,05). Meme kanseri risk faktörlerini bilenlerin meme kanseri endişesi yaşama odds’unun 2,24 kat, daha önce klinik meme muayenesi yaptıranların ise 3,05 kat olduğu saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Üniversite öğrencilerinin meme kanseri endişe düzeyi düşük düzeydedir. Ayrıca meme kanseri endişesini yaş, sosyal güvence durumu, meme kanseri risk faktörlerini bilme ve daha önce klinik meme muayenesi yaptırma durumlarının etkilediği belirlenmiştir.

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Cite This Article

Saraç, F. S., Baksi, A., Horzum, Ş., Bilgiç, Ü. S. (2026). Breast Cancer Worry and Associated Factors Among Female University Students: A Cross- Sectional Study. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 17 Sayı: 2, 235–244. https://doi.org/10.22312/sdusbed.1645886

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