The Effect of Social Support Perception on Attitude Towards Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer in Orthopedically Disabled Women

Abstract

Background: One of the important factors affecting cervical cancer prevention behaviours of orthopedically disabled women is the perception of social support. Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the effect of social support perception on the attitude towards early diagnosis of cervical cancer in orthopedically disabled women. Methods: The study, which was designed to be descriptive was carried out with 105 disabled women. The study was conducted with orthopedically disabled woman who were treatmented to the physical therapy and rehabilitation unit of a training and research hospital between March-December 2022. A descriptive information form, Attitude towards Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer Scale, and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation), pearson correlation for relationship analysis, and linear regression analysis for effect level analysis were used in data analysis. Results: The mean scores of Attitude towards Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer Scale was determined as 77.16±12.42 and the mean scores of Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale was 46.77±7.40. The effect of the perceived social support was found to be effective in increasing the attitude towards early diagnosis of cervical cancer (p = .001). The total perceived social support score explained 41.6% of the total variance in the dependent variable of attitude towards early diagnosis of cervical cancer. Conclusion: Orthopedically disabled women with poor perceived social support had more negative attitudes towards cervical cancer screening. Therefore, health professionals should be aware of orthopedically disabled women’s social support and attitudes towards cancer when planning information and promotion programmes to promote attendance at screening cancer.