The health beliefs of Virginia female women's health nurse practitioners regarding screening mammography

This descriptive exploratory study with survey methodology explored the health beliefs of a sample (N = 181) of Virginia female women's health nurse practitioners regarding screening mammography. The Health Belief Model was applied as the theoretical framework. Data were collected by two self-administered mailed questionnaires. The Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to perform descriptive and inferential statistical tests. The data indicate that the majority (97.3%) of the nurse practitioners aged 40 to 69 years old reported having had a screening mammogram. Based on the guidelines of the American Cancer Society, 81.5% of the nurse practitioners in the 50 to 69 years age group and 52.2% in the 40 to 49 years age group reported compliance with screening mammography. Seventy-three percent of the participants stated they had a positive view toward screening mammography, and 85.8% did not perceive any barriers. Correlation analysis showed that both perceived benefits and barriers of screening mammography were significantly associated with screening mammography compliance. Age and years of experience as a women's health nurse practitioner had no significant impact on perceived benefits and barriers of screening mammography. There were significant differences between the compliers of screening mammography and the noncompliers with respect to perceived benefits and perceived barriers. Female women's health nurse practitioners who participated in this study can serve as role models for promoting wider utilization of screening mammography. Future researchers should assess the education and counseling practices of women's health nurse practitioners in the context of screening mammography using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research design, and examine how they make decisions regarding breast care.