The overall incidence of breast cancer in Chinese women is on the rise, seriously threatening their physical and mental health. Breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors are critical to the outcomes of affected women in the community. However, these behaviors vary across individuals. And measures should be explored to improve the efficacy of such behaviors.

To perform a latent class analysis of breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors among community-living women, and to explore the associated factors, providing evidence for individualized prevention and management of female breast cancer in the community.

A total of 1 355 community-living women were selected from in 15 towns/subdistricts of 5 counties/districts in Yinchuan and Zhongwei cities of Ningxia, China by use of convenience sampling method from November 2019 to August 2020. They were surveyed using a questionnaire consisting of baseline characteristics, and breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors (relevant questions used are belonging to the part of breast cancer prevention and treatment in the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Among Women in Ningxia) . The latent classes of breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors were presented, and their influencing factors were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

The survey achieved a response rate of 97.93% (1 327/1 355) .By use of latent class analysis, breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors of the respondents were classified into four latent classes, including positive prevention and treatment (n=522, 39.34%) , high-risk behaviors plus positive treatment (n=449, 33.83%) , high-risk behaviors plus negative treatment (n=229, 17.26%) , and general prevention and treatment (n=127, 9.57%) . The overall median score of breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors was 9.00 (7.00, 11.00) points for all respondents. The median score of breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors was 11.00 (11.00, 12.00) points for respondents with positive prevention and treatment behaviors, 9.00 (8.00, 10.00) points for those with high-risk behaviors plus positive treatment behaviors, 6.00 (5.00, 6.00) points for those with high-risk behaviors plus negative treatment behaviors, and 8.00 (6.00, 9.00) points for those with general prevention and treatment behaviors, with significant difference across the groups (H=1 008.493, P<0.001) . Multivariable Logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with general prevention and treatment behaviors, living in Zhongwei and having a history of childbirth were associated with increased possibility of being classified into positive prevention and treatment behaviors, having health insurance〔urban resident basic medical insurance (URBMI) , commercial health insurance, or other types〕, self-pay treatment, and a history of hormone replacement therapy were associated with increased possibility of being classified into general prevention and treatment behaviors (P<0.05) , having a history of childbirth were associated with increased possibility of being classified into high-risk behaviors plus positive treatment behaviors, having health insurance (URBMI or commercial health insurance) , as well as a history of hormone replacement therapy were associated with increased possibility of being classified into general prevention and treatment behaviors (P<0.05) , and primary education or below, household monthly income per person of 1 000-2 999 yuan were associated with increased possibility of being classified into high-risk behaviors plus negative treatment behaviors, and having URBMI were associated with increased possibility of being classified into general prevention and treatment behaviors (P<0.05) .

In general, breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors in this group could be definitely classified, all being performed at a moderate level. To improve the level of breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors of Ningxia's community-living women, focus should be on those who have high-risk behaviors and negatively seek for treatment. Moreover, the problems in positive breast cancer prevention and treatment behaviors in women with other three classes of behaviors should also be intervened and corrected to improve the outcomes of them.