Application of the Champion Health Belief Model to examine the associations of eHealth literacy and cancer information overload with women’s breast cancer screening-related health beliefs

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to examine the associations of eHealth literacy and cancer information overload with breast cancer screening-related health beliefs among women within the framework of the Champion Health Belief Model. Subject and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 495 women aged 20–65 years who attended a public community health center in Türkiye. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the eHealth Literacy Scale, Cancer Information Overload Scale, and Champion’s Breast Cancer Screening Health Belief Model Scale. Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Regression models were adjusted for prespecified sociodemographic, breast cancer-related, digital-use, and previous screening-related covariates. Results: After multivariable adjustment, higher eHealth literacy was associated with greater perceived seriousness (β =.153, p =.001), health motivation (β =.467, p <.001), benefits of breast self-examination (BSE) (β =.405, p <.001), BSE self-efficacy (β =.421, p <.001), and benefits of mammography (β =.384, p <.001). Greater cancer information overload was associated with greater perceived seriousness (β =.199, p <.001), barriers to BSE (β =.227, p <.001), and barriers to mammography (β =.197, p <.001). Associations with susceptibility were not statistically significant in heteroskedasticity-consistent HC3 robust sensitivity analyses. Among women aged ≥ 40 years, eHealth literacy remained positively associated with perceived benefits of mammography (β =.323, p =.003), whereas cancer information overload was not significantly associated with either mammography-related outcome. Conclusion: eHealth literacy and cancer information overload showed distinct associations with breast cancer screening-related health beliefs. Higher eHealth literacy was primarily associated with more favorable motivational, benefit, and self-efficacy dimensions, whereas greater information overload was associated with higher perceived seriousness and barriers.