Cancer Awareness Among Syrian Migrants

April 20, 2026 updated by: Neslihan Özcanarslan, Toros University

A Theory-Driven Educational Intervention to Enhance Cancer Screening Uptake Among Syrian Migrants in Turkey: A Study Protocol

This study aims to develop and evaluate a theory-based educational intervention to improve cancer screening participation among Syrian migrants in Turkey. The study will also develop a Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS) to measure individuals' motivation toward cancer screening. Using a mixed-methods design, the study will explore barriers, beliefs, and behaviors related to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. The effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed using a pretest-posttest design. The findings are expected to support culturally appropriate strategies to improve cancer screening uptake among migrant populations.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Syrian migrants face difficulties accessing cancer screening services due to limited healthcare access, language and cultural barriers, and lack of knowledge about cancer screening. However, there is a lack of practical guidance on how public health initiatives can effectively engage with priority populations, particularly migrants. This study aims to present a protocol for developing a Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)-based educational intervention and the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale, informed by an examination of migrants' and healthcare professionals' perspectives on cancer screening. A mixed-methods study protocol has been developed to create a Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)-based educational intervention and the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale. The study will engage migrants and healthcare professionals to explore knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers related to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. In the qualitative phase, interviews will be conducted with 30 migrants and healthcare professionals, while in the methodological phase, data from 300 migrants will be used to develop and validate the scale and educational intervention. In the experimental phase, the effectiveness of the intervention will be tested with 30 participants. The study is expected to yield a valid and reliable Cancer Protection Motivation Scale and a culturally sensitive, theory-driven educational intervention. These tools will provide guidance for improving cancer awareness and screening behaviors among migrants, addressing barriers related to access, language, culture, and knowledge.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • over 18 years of age
  • hold Syrian citizenship
  • be registered with the Migrant Health Center in Mersin province
  • have proficiency in Turkish or Arabic
  • voluntarily agree to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

  • if they hold Turkish citizenship
  • have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder
  • have been diagnosed with cancer
  • wish to withdraw from the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The group receiving the PMT-based cancer screening educational intervention.
A Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)-based educational program focusing on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening will be delivered to participants. Pretest and posttest assessments will be conducted using the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS) to evaluate changes in motivation and screening-related behaviors.
Other: PMT-Based Cancer Screening Educational Intervention
This intervention is a structured educational program developed based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). It aims to improve cancer screening behaviors among Syrian migrants through culturally adapted educational sessions focusing on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. The intervention targets key components of PMT, including threat appraisal (perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and rewards) and coping appraisal (self-efficacy, response efficacy, and perceived costs). Educational content is designed to increase awareness, enhance motivation, and reduce perceived barriers. Participants will receive the training through interactive sessions. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using pretest and posttest assessments with the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS).
Behavioral: PMT-Based Cancer Screening Education Program
This behavioral intervention is a structured education program based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), designed to improve cancer screening behaviors among Syrian migrants. The program targets key PMT constructs, including perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers. It includes culturally adapted, interactive educational sessions focusing on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. The intervention aims to increase knowledge, enhance motivation, and reduce perceived barriers to screening participation. Effectiveness will be evaluated using pre- and post-intervention assessments with the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS).
Other Names:
  • PMT Education Program
  • Cancer Screening Education Intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS)
Time Frame: 3 weeks
Cancer protection motivation will be assessed using the Cancer Protection Motivation Scale (CPMS), a researcher-developed multidimensional instrument based on Protection Motivation Theory. The scale measures threat appraisal (perceived severity, vulnerability, and rewards), coping appraisal (response efficacy and response cost), and self-efficacy. The CPMS is planned to consist of 24 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. The total score ranges from 24 to 120, with higher scores indicating greater motivation. Content validity will be evaluated using the Content Validity Index (CVI) based on the opinions of approximately 20 experts. Following language validation, a pilot study will be conducted with 20 participants, after which the scale will be administered to 300 individuals. The CPMS will be used as a pretest and posttest to evaluate effectiveness.
3 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Knowledge of Cancer and Screening (Structured Questionnaire Score)
Time Frame: 3 weeks
Participants' knowledge regarding breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers and related screening programs will be assessed using a researcher-developed structured questionnaire. The questionnaire will include items on cancer risk factors, symptoms, and screening recommendations. It will be administered before the intervention (pretest) and after the educational program (posttest). Higher scores will indicate greater knowledge.
3 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cancer Screening Behavior (Referral and Attendance Rates)
Time Frame: 3 weeks
Participants' cancer screening behaviors will be assessed by measuring referral and attendance rates to relevant health facilities for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. The number and proportion of participants who attend screening services after the intervention will be recorded. Behavioral changes will be evaluated by comparing screening attendance before and after the educational program.
3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Toros University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

April 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 11, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 20, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 22.06.2022/130

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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