| The purpose of this descriptive study was to utilize the Health Belief Model concepts, specifically benefits, barriers, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity and motivation, to assess how beliefs about cancer motivated cancer nurses' personal risk reducing and patient teaching behaviors related to cigarette smoking, diet and exposure to the sun. The sample for this research consisted of 254 randomly selected active members of the Oncology Nursing Society who completed the investigator developed Cancer Beliefs and Behaviors Questionnaire. The research instrument consisted of sets of questions derived from a review of the literature and determined to have content validity and test re-test reliability. Nonparametric, descriptive statistics and analysis of variance and correlational coefficients were used to analyze the data.;The sample reported positive beliefs regarding the benefits of cancer risk reducing behaviors related to cigarette smoking, diet and exposure to the sun; identified few barriers to practicing these behaviors; did not perceive themselves susceptible to lung, colon nor skin cancer; perceived lung, colon and skin cancers to be serious; and, reported being highly motivated to practice cancer risk reducing behaviors related to cigarette smoking, diet and exposure to the sun. They reported limited patient teaching related to cigarette smoking, diet and exposure to the sun. Nurses reporting more positive dietary habits were more likely to teach patients about diet and cancer. There were significant relationships among specific concepts of the Health Belief Model and the nurses' personal cancer risk reducing and their patient teaching behaviors.;This study resulted in new information about cancer nurses' beliefs about cancer and their personal cancer risk reducing and patient teaching behaviors related to cigarette smoking, diet and exposure to the sun. In addition, relationships among these beliefs and the nurses' personal and patient teaching behaviors were determined. |
