Moderating Effects of Intention to Screen on the Relationship Between Attitude Towards Screening and Cancer and High Blood Pressure Screening Uptake Among Nigerians

Abstract Background Why is there low behavioural response towards cancer and high blood pressure (HBP) screening uptake among Nigerians? The present study addressed this question by using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to investigate the moderating effects of intention to screen on the relationship between attitude towards screening and cancer and HBP screening uptake among Nigerians. Methods Correlational design was used with 443 participants comprising 203 (45.8%) males, 223 (52.6%) females with average age of 24.9 years (SD = 8.02). A structured questionnaire comprising the 24-item Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening and other items that assessed behavioural intention and screening uptake was used for data collection. Binary Logistics Regression was used to test individual and moderating effects at p < 0.05. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 25. Results Findings showed that attitude toward screening was not a predictor of cancer and HBP screening uptake [OR = 1.02, z = .80, p > 0.05]. Intention to screen significantly predicted cancer screening uptake by 495 times [OR = 495.71, z = 3.07, p < 0.01] and inversely moderated the relationship between cancer screening attitude and cancer screening uptake [OR = .95, z = -2.18, p < 0.05] having controlled for sex, marital status, religion, and age. When cancer screening intention was absent, cancer screening attitude alone could not predict cancer screening uptake [OR = 1.02, z = .80, p > 0.05]. Counterintuitively, when there was intention to screen, cancer screening attitude predicted decrease in cancer screening uptake [OR = .96, z = -3.07, p < 0.01]. Conclusions Alone, attitude did not predict cancer and HBP screening uptake until there was intention to screen for cancer. Neither the individual nor the interactional effects of attitude and intention predicted screening uptake for HBP.