Introduction and objective:
Health behaviour is a set of activities that affect an individual’s well-being and attitude toward health. These behaviours are shaped by socio-demographic characteristics, social circumstances, cultural background, personality traits, and the mass media. The health of an individual is largely determined, among other factors, by his/her actions, decisions, and the resulting outcomes. The health locus of control affects an individual’s adherence to health-related recommendations. The aim of the study is to examine the association between the health locus of control and declared health behaviours in Polish women in the setting of breast cancer prevention.

Material and methods:
The study included 407 women between the age of 45 and 69 years (mean: 54.86, SD: 6.718), selected using convenience sampling. The research was conducted at the Medical University of Warsaw between March 2021 – May 2022, using convenience sampling. The research tool was a survey consisting of an author-designed questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and the Health Behaviour Inventory Correlation analysis between scales from HBI questionnaire and scales from MHLC-B questionnaire was conducted.

Results:
Correlation analysis showed that the internal health locus of control was positively correlated with healthy nutrition habits, preventive behaviours, and positive adjustment. Additionally, the external health locus of control was also positively correlated with preventive behaviours, positive adjustments, and health-promoting practices. In contrast, a higher belief in the influence of chance was inversely correlated with healthy nutrition habits and positive adjustment.

Conclusions:
Psychological factors influencing women’s attitudes towards preventive behaviours can help in the planning of preventive measures. An increase in the internal health locus of control may translate into a higher participation rate in population-based screening programmes.