The Effect of Text Messages and Education on Cancer Screening on Women aged 30-65

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 3, 682 - 689, 30.09.2025

Hilal Kutman , Hasibe Kadıoğlu

https://doi.org/10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1732211

Abstract

Objective: Despite it is known that cancer screenings reduce cancer-related deaths, screening rates are still inadequate. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of text messaging and training on cancer screening in women aged 30-65.
Methods: This non-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 140 women aged 30-65 between November 2023 and April 2024 in Kırklareali, Türkiye. Participants were divided into the reminder text message group (n=46), the training group (n=48), and the control group (n= 46). In the text message group, every participant received text messages about cancer and importance of screening procedures, one a day for ten days. The training group was educated for a session that lasted 45 min. Data was collected both before and 3 months after the intervention, using a questionnaire that included two parts (sociodemographic characteristics and stages of change for cancer screening practices). Data was analyzed using the Marginal Homogeneity test.
Results: In the post-test, the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening score was statistically significantly higher in both the reminder text message group and the training group compared to the pre-test (p<.01), whereas no statistically significant difference was observed in the control group (p>.05). Participation in cancer screening behaviors increased significantly in both the reminder text message and training groups (p<.01). In the reminder group, the rate of Pap smear testing increased from 30.5% to 76.1%, breast self-examination from 71.8% to 97.8%, mammography from 23.9% to 41.3%, and fecal occult blood testing from 2.2% to 8.7%. In the training group, these rates increased from 41.7% to 70.9%, 66.7% to 93.8%, 25.1% to 41.7%, and 0% to 20.9%, respectively. There was no significant change in the control group (p>.05).
Conclusions: The results showed that both reminder text messages and training interventions effectively improved attitudes and significantly increased participation in cancer screening behaviors.

Keywords

Text messages , education , cancer

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by Noninvasive Clinical Ethics Committee of Marmara University, Institute of Health Sciences (Approval date: 20.09.2023; Number: 91)

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

None

Thanks

This article is derived from the first author's master's thesis. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all the women who voluntarily participated in this study. We also thank the healthcare professionals and administrative staff at the participating Family Health Centers for their support during data collection. We also extend our thanks to OpenAI's ChatGPT for providing language support during the translation and editing of this manuscript. This study was previously presented as a conference abstract at the 17th European Public Health Conference.

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