PREDICTING COLON CANCER SCREENING BEHAVIOR FROM HEALTH BELIEFS

Abstract

A total of 581 people (33% male, 67% female) attending general practitioners completed a questionnaire mainly on health beliefs and were then offered a fecal occult blood test (Hemoccult II) free of charge. Eighty-six percent accepted the general practitioners' offer and took the Hemoccult kit home. Of these, 51% complied (i.e., returned specimens for laboratory testing). The Health Belief Model was found to account for 12% of the variance in screening behavior. Perceived barriers to taking the test and perceived susceptibility to bowel cancer were the only components contributing significantly in the multiple regression analysis. Health Belief Model components that were predictive of initia..