Health Beliefs Towards Colorectal Cancer and Associated Factors in a Three Muslim Countries (Turkey, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia): A Screening Study of Men Aged between 50-75.

Background: Despite a range of clinical practice guidelines and public health advisories promoting the use of colorectal cancer screening in the general population, screening rates remain less than ideal in many countries.

Aim: This study evaluated the health beliefs regarding colorectal cancer and factors affecting the participation of men aged 50-75 in colorectal cancer screening in three selected Muslim countries (Turkey (TR), Saudi Arabia (SA), and Malaysia (MY)).

Methods: This study employed a descriptive comparative design with stratified sampling, with the sample size of 540 participants. The Colorectal Cancer Health Belief Model (HBM) Scale and the Fatalism Tendency scale were used to evaluate men's health beliefs about colorectal cancer. The scales were in a 5-point Likert scale. The SPSS 22.0 statistical package program evaluated the data using descriptive statistics and ANOVA tests.

Results: The average self-report risk in terms of cancer was 3.9 ± 2.20 (TR), 2.6 ± 2.69 (SA), and 3.9 ± 2.20 (MY), 75% don't know how to prevent colorectal cancer  (TR) 84% (SA) and 82.2% (MY). The HBM Scale and sub-dimensions and Fatalism Tendency scale average scores of Malaysian participants were higher than Turkish and Saudi participants. A positive, statistically significant relationship existed between the scales and sub-scales mean score (p < .01).

Conclusion: Interventions can be designed to address specific components of the HBM, such as promoting awareness campaigns, addressing cultural and psychological barriers, incorporating cues to action, and culture-sensitive colorectal cancer screening guides that should be prepared for Muslim men to increase participation in colorectal cancer screening.