Nursing students' health beliefs regarding skin cancer: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the health beliefs of nursing students concerning skin cancer. Methods: The research was conducted between April 1, 2025 and July 1, 2025, among students studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing at a state university in Istanbul, Türkiye. Results: According to the Health Belief Model Scale for Skin Cancer, the mean score for perceived susceptibility was 25.48±3.54, perceived severity was 16.31±2.58, perceived benefits was 22.68±3.77, perceived barriers was 14.85±3.53, and self-efficacy was 22.96±3.78. Female students had higher scores for perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy compared to male students. Students with blue/green or hazel eyes scored higher on perceived severity than those with black eyes. Students who had received prior information about skin cancer demonstrated higher scores in perceived susceptibility and self-efficacy. Those who performed skin self-examinations had higher scores in perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, students who used sunscreen scored higher in perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy compared to those who did not use sunscreen. In the multiple regression analysis, female gender and prior knowledge of skin cancer were identified as significant predictors of perceived susceptibility scores. Additionally, female gender and having fair skin were found to be positive predictors of perceived severity scores Conclusion: The health beliefs of nursing students regarding skin cancer were found to be at a moderate level. Female gender, prior knowledge about skin cancer, and having fair skin were identified as significant predictors of these health beliefs.

Keywords

• Nursing
• students
• skin cancer
• health belief model

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Approval date and number: 02/27/2025/38).

Hemşirelik öğrencilerinin deri kanserine ilişkin sağlık inançları: Tanımlayıcı ve analitik bir kesitsel çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada hemşirelik bölümü öğrencilerinin deri kanserine ilişkin sağlık inançlarının belirlenmesi amacındı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırma 1 Nisan 2025-1 Temmuz 2025 tarihleri arasında Türkiye’de İstanbul’da bir devlet üniversitesinin Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Hemşirelik Bölümünde öğrenim gören öğrencilerde yürütüldü. Bulgular: Deri kanserine yönelik sağlık inanç modeli ölçeğine göre; algılanan duyarlılık puan ortalaması 25,48±3,54, algılanan ciddiyet 16,31±2,58, algılanan yarar 22,68±3,77, algılanan engel 14,85±3,53 ve öz yeterlilik puan ortalaması 22,96±3,78 saptandı. Kadın öğrencilerin algılanan duyarlılık, algılanan ciddiyet, algılanan yarar ve öz yeterlilik puanları erkeklerden yüksek saptandı. Mavi/yeşil ve ela göz rengini sahip öğrencilerin algılanan ciddiyet puanı siyah göz rengine sahip öğrencilerden yüksek bulundu. Deri kanseri ilgili önceden bilgi alan öğrencilerin algılanan duyarlılık ve öz yeterlilik puanları yüksek saptandı. Kendi kendine deri muayenesi yapan öğrencilerin algılanan duyarlılık, algılanan engel ve öz yeterlilik puanları daha yüksek olduğu bulundu. Güneş koruyucu krem kullanan öğrencilerin algılanan duyarlılık, algılanan ciddiyet, algılanan yarar ve öz yeterlilik puanları kullanmayan öğrencilere göre yüksek belirlendi. Çoklu regresyon analizinde, Kadın cinsiyet ve önceden deri kanseri hakkında bilgi almak, algılanan duyarlılık puanının anlamlı yordayıcısı olduğu görüldü. Kadın cinsiyet ve açık tenli olmak, algılanan ciddiyet puanının pozitif yordayıcısı olduğu belirlendi. Sonuç: Öğrencilerin deri kanserine yönelik sağlık inançları orta düzeyde bulundu. Kadın cinsiyet, deri kanseri hakkında bilgi almak ve açık tenli olmak deri kanseri sağlık inançlarının anlamlı yordayıcı olduğu görüldü.

Keywords

• hemşirelik
• öğrenciler
• deri kanseri
• sağlık inanç modeli

Ethical Statement

Çalışmanın etik onayı Marmara Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Girişimsel Olmayan Klinik Araştırmalar Etik Kurulu’ndan (Onay tarihi ve sayısı: 27.02.2025/38) alınmıştır.

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