The Correlation of Social Support and Fear of Breast Cancer among Women in Northeast of Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Screening programs are the most common prevention methods. Perceived social support and fear are two important factors affecting women’s participation in breast cancer screening. This study aimed to determine the relationship between fear of BC and perceived social support among women in Torbat Heydarieh, northeast of Iran. METHODS: This study is an online cross-sectional survey that was conducted on 352 women in Torbat Heydarieh city of Northeast Iran, from October 26th, 2021 to December 26th, 2022. Along with collecting sociodemographic characteristics, the Breast Cancer Fear Scale (BCFS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were electronically administered to participants. Data were analyzed through SPSS software version 25, using independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression models. The statistical significance level was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: The mean score for the BCFS was 20.67±1.03 which was in the moderate range for the total score of 40. Assessment of perceived social support indicated a moderate level of perceived support for all dimensions. Also, a significant correlation was found between the women’s BCFS scores and perceived social support (r=-0.29, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: We found that there was a negative statistically significant correlation between the BCF and social support. Therefore, this study suggests that healthcare providers pay attention to these factors. Moreover, further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of BCF due to low social support.