Women's breast cancer prevention behaviors and cancer fears: the sample of post-earthquake

In the event of a natural disaster, women who assume multiple roles within the family unit tend to postpone their health concerns and delay medical appointments. The present study aims to examine the relationship between the level of fear of breast cancer and the implementation of breast cancer preventive behaviours among women following an earthquake. The sample consists of 2,671 women aged 20 and over who participated voluntarily. The data were collected using two instruments: the Breast Cancer Fear Scale and the Women's Breast Cancer Prevention Behaviors Form. Following a comprehensive review of the extant literature, it was determined that women affected by earthquakes exhibited elevated levels of fear of breast cancer. A substantial decline was observed in the utilization of preventive measures necessitating institutional access, including mammography. The findings of this study indicate that education, occupation, and family history of breast cancer have a significant impact on women's post-earthquake fear levels in implementing preventive behaviours. However, given the cross-sectional design and the absence of pre-disaster baseline data, these findings reflect post-earthquake associations rather than temporal or causal trends. Natural disasters can result in the deterioration of health perceptions, exacerbated by heightened stress and health concerns. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative approaches to ensure the maintenance of health check-ups and continuous access to preventive care in the aftermath of large-scale natural disasters.