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Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women. Identifying and avoiding the preventable risk factors of BC reduces its occurrence effectively. So, this study aimed to assess BC's risk factors and risk perception status in Babol, Northern Iran., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 women aged 18 to 70 in Babol, Northern Iran. According to the eligibility criteria, the selected participants completed the demographic characteristics and researcher-made valid and reliable questionnaires. The statistical software was SPSS20., Results: The significant risk factors related to BC were old age (60 years old and more) (30.2%), obesity (25.8%), history of radiation (10%), and familial history of BC (9.5%), respectively (P < 0.05). Suspected symptoms of BC were observed in 78 (19.5%) women, including indentations in 27 (6.75%), redness in 15 (3.75%), pain in 16 (4%), and enlargement of lymph nodes in 20 (5%). The BC risk perception score was 107.72±13.22., Conclusion: Most participants had at least one risk factor for BC. It is essential to implement intervention programs to control obesity and BC screening programs in obese and overweight women to prevent BC and its complications. Further studies are needed., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: One of the leading health indicators during the COVID-19 crisis is health literacy and health-promoting behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic in the southern part of Iran in 2020., Methods: This descriptive-analytical study encompassed 465 women hospitalized and treated in none teaching hospitals affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools were the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods., Results: The mean scores of the participants' "health literacy" and "health-promoting behaviors" were 64.41 ± 11.31 and 112.23 ± 16.09, respectively, indicating the poor level of health literacy and the average level of health-promoting behaviors. Moreover, there was a significant direct correlation between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors (P < 0.001, r = 0.471). Furthermore, all health literacy dimensions of comprehension (P < 0.001), accessibility (P < 0.001), reading skills (P < 0.001), evaluation (P = 0.002), and decision making and behavior (P = 0.003) were detected as the predictors of health-promoting behaviors. Further, statistically significant relationships were noticed between the mean score of health literacy with age (r =  - 0.327, P = 0.007), level of education (F = 3.119, P = 0.002), and place of residence (t = 2.416, P = 0.004) and between health-promoting behaviors with level of education (F = 3.341, P = 0.001) and marital status (F = 2.868, P = 0.02)., Conclusion: According to the findings, health policymakers should adopt national measures for educational planning to promote health literacy and support health-promoting behaviors to encourage women to adopt a healthy lifestyle., (© 2022. The Author(s).)