This cross-sectional survey was conducted to described the compliance of Breast Self-Examination of middle-aged women using a convenient sample, and to examine relationships between the compliance of BSE and Health Beliefs, and the influencing factors on the compliance of BSE.

The subjects were 373 literate volunteers who were from 41 to 60 years of age who visited 6 public health centers. From June 7, 2004 to August 20, 2004, data were collected by 5 research assistants using a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to obtain information on the general characteristics, knowledge, health beliefs, and compliance of BSE.

The findings of this study suggested that there were significant differences in the scores of the perceived susceptibility and severity between compliers and non-compliers of the BSE. BSE compliance was significantly correlated with knowledge, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity. The most powerful predictor of BSE compliance was the perceived susceptibility. The perceived susceptibility, the perceived severity, the knowledge and educational level accounted for 41.8% of the variance in middle aged women's BSE compliance.

Increase in knowledge about breast cancer, with a concomitant increase in both perceived susceptibility and perceived severity could produce a subtle cue or motivating force sufficient to affect a behavior change. Further research is needed to examine the qualitative difference between BSE and other early detection behaviors.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Korean women. Only 14% of urban women and 10% of rural women in Korea, however, participated in breast cancer screening behavior in 1998 (Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare, 1999).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of community-based breast self-examination (BSE) education programs in Korea.

First, breast cancer risk appraisals were done with 1,977 rural women. Of the 1,977 women, nearly 30% (n= 494) had a higher or equal to borderline risk of developing breast cancer. This quasi-experimental study was conducted to target these women with a high or equal to borderline risk of breast cancer. The risk appraisal feedback and breast self-examination education were used as an intervention for breast cancer prevention and early detection.

After a 3-month follow-up, 30.5% of the women in the intervention group performed regular BSE compared to 10.2% of women in the control group. The mean knowledge score related to breast cancer and BSE was significantly higher for the women in the intervention group than that in the control group.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on the compliance of breast self-examination (BSE) among nurses who work at three general hospitals in Kyung-Nam areas.

258 hospital nurses were included in the study. Data were collected using structured self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, x² test and logistic regression analysis.

Nurses reported medium levels of knowledge, self efficacy and health believes about breast cancer and BSE, and 26% of the nurses performed the BSE at least once during the last 6 months. Compliers of BSE perceived significantly higher levels of self-efficacy, susceptability and health motivation, and lower level of barrier compared to non-compliers. Significant influencing factors on BSE compliance were ‘experience of getting recommendation for breast self-examination’, ‘susceptibility’, ‘barrier’, and ‘self-efficacy’ and those variables explained 22.5% of variance in compliance of BSE.

Nurses, who must play as a role model for health promoting behaviors, did not have enough knowledge of breast cancer and BSE. Also, their performance rate of BSE was quite low. Thus, it is essential to provide an educational program for breast cancer and BSE to nurses in order to enhance nurses' performance rate of BSE.