According to some studies that show Iranian breast cancer patients are relatively younger than their western counterparts and mostly have advanced diseases, it seems that several underfined factors can influence women's health behavior and result in low participation rate in prevention and treatment programs. Hence, understanding women's current belifs may help by uncovering misunderstanding, conceptual gaps, and areas of concern.
This study had two stages and designed to investigate a group of middle class women's beliefs about breast cancer and health related behaviors. The first stage consisted of individual's exporatory interviews with medical field specialists, sociologists and religious professionals as well as some authorities in public health administrations. In the second stage 50 rural women between age 19 and 52 participated in the focus group discussions according their education and employment status. Interviews were guided on the basis of an open-ended semi-structured questionnaire designed regarding the results of the first stage. Almost all women believed that breast cancer is a progressive disease and it has benign and malignant forms. In the latter unless treated early, grows, spreads and eventually kills. Most of them did not have clear conception about the causes of breast cancer but they expressed that genetic, infection, personal hygiene, anxiety and stress can play role in breast cancer formation. Majority of these women knew common breast cancer symptoms, however, pain was given greater prominence in this respect. Although many of the women were familiar with screening procedures, many statements reflect a general lack of belief in preventive services, rather, health care is considered as a service for disease. The majority of the women stated that fate has dramatic and inevitable role but it can be changed if patient makes effort to be cured. Furthermore, it is believed that some religious customs and attending holy places have influence on disease course and its outcome. The importance of family responsibility was clearly said by almost all women. The family members especially husbands in most situations have persuasive roles. Because of modesty and embarrassment, almost all women prefer to be visited by same sex doctors and religious beliefs do not have that much effects expected in this society. This study shows the need to evaluate culture and religious factors attributed to breast cancer related health behavior with a qualitative questionnaire in a population of all Iranian ethnic communities.