Health Belief of Elderly Women as Predictor of Health-Seeking Behavior to Breast Cancer Prevention in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria.

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue V, May 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Health Belief of Elderly Women as Predictor of Health-Seeking Behavior to Breast Cancer Prevention in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Kwarbai, A. M., Atulomah N.O & Oghosanine, J. O.
Department of Public and Applied Health, Babcock University, Nigeria

Abstract
The study investigates the health belief of older women as predictors of health-seeking behaviors to breast cancer prevention in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey. A Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 394 elderly women in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The demographic information and research question were analyzed using descriptive statistics while the research hypotheses were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Linear regression at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed 41.6% of the elderly women had average knowledge of breast cancer prevention, 46.7% high level of susceptibility to breast cancer, 35.5% perceived severity, 39.3% perceived barriers, 39.8% perceived benefits. There was a significant relationship between the health belief and behavioral skills on breast cancer prevention (r= 0.881, p< 0.05). The most significant predictors of breast cancer prevention among the Elderly women is perceived severity (ß = 0.157; t =2.543; p < 0.05). Next in terms of magnitude of predictor is perceived susceptibility (ß = 0.114; t = 2.542; p < 0.05), perceived benefits (ß = 0.127, t =1.139; p < 0.05) and perceived barriers (ß = 0.112, t =1.533; p < 0.05).Hence, the four health belief variables had significant contribution to breast cancer prevention. The study recommends that, government and non-governmental health agencies scale-up campaigns specifically tailored to change negative attitudinal barriers as well encourage Brest Self-Examination among women in the northern region of Nigeria. Healthy lifestyle is the best form of prevention of breast cancer prevention among women.

Keywords: Health belief, Breast cancer, Behavior, Elderly women, Health agencies

1.0 Introduction
Cancer is the world’s second leading cause of death and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018.Cancer is a major public health problem. About 1 in 6 deaths are caused by cancer. Globally (WHO, 2018). Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of disability among older women around the world. It is responsible for 30% of all cancer cases and 15% of all cancer deaths. Breast cancer is the most common cancer, claiming the lives of around 800,000 women worldwide each year, with

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