The Validity and Reliability of Health Belief Scale for Testicular Cancer Self-Examination

Abstract

This study aimed to create a measurement tool for the determination of university students' health beliefs about testicular cancer (TC) and self-examination. This is a methodological and cross-sectional study. The study sample included 425 university students. Consents and approvals were obtained from the relevant institutions and the ethics committee prior to the research. The data were collected using an interview form that included questions about descriptive characteristics, family history of TC, and knowledge, beliefs, and practice of self-examination. The health belief model including 41 questions about self-examination and the interview form were administered to the students in their classrooms at a suitable time. Principal components analysis and varimax rotation were used for the examination of the structures of the factors. Accordingly, factor patterns, self-values, and the variance percentages they explained were evaluated. The average age of the participants is 22.2 ± 2.3 (min = 17; max = 40). Of them, 98.8% of the participants are single ( n = 420). Of them, 56.2% have heard about TC before, and 18.4% said they were informed about TC. Factor loading of the items in the first factor was 0.64 to 0.89, while it was 0.48 to 0.75 for the items in the second factor, 0.50 to 0.87 for the items in the third factor, 0.37 to 0.68 for the items in the fourth factor, 0.51 to 0.68 for the items in the fifth factor, and 0.65 to 0.79 for the items in the sixth factor. The health belief model scale may be used in TC screenings for males to measure susceptibility, seriousness, health motivation, barriers, benefits, and self-efficacy.

Cancer education matters: a report on testicular cancer knowledge, awareness, and self-examination practice among young Polish men

“…It is estimated that approx. 90% of both benign and malignant testicular pathologies are detected by males performing regularly self-examination 38 . Therefore, it is important for young men to be aware of the possibility of early TC detection and to know how to perform a checkup.…”

Effect of educational guidelines based on health belief model regarding testicular cancer knowledge, practice and beliefs among male nursing students

“…[36] and Janz & Becker 1984 [37] and modified by the researchers based on literature review. [38][39][40] It was consisted of five subscales as following: perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perceived benefit and health motivation, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy. Scoring system: Questionnaire consisted of 37 items used three-point Likerttype scale instead of five point Likert-scale with the following responses: 3 = agree, 2 = netural, 1 = disagree to measure perceptions of students behavior related to testicular cancer and TSE.…”

Attitudes about Testicular Self-Examination among Polish Males

“…Therefore, according to the main oncological and urological associations (EAU and AUA) recommendations, only young men who are identified as having specific risk factors for TC should be particularly made aware of the need for regular TSE [ 12 ]. However, the majority of TC’s are detected by men as a result of TSE [ 5 , 13 ]. Moreover, performing TSE may be beneficial for men because it facilitates detection of diseases in the scrotum other than TC.…”