Evaluation of Breast Cancer (BC) Awareness among Female University Students in Zarqa University, Jordan

Health Beliefs, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Prevention Behaviors of Turkish Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between nursing students' breast cancer (BC) awareness, health beliefs, and BC prevention behaviors. Methods: This study sample consisted of 256 female students. Descriptive Information Form, Breast Cancer Awareness Scale (B-CAS), the Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Prevention Behaviors of Women (FABCPB) Scale, and the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) were used to collect the data. Results: Breast self-examination was performed in 53.9% of the nursing students. The mean B-CAS score was 1.35 ± 0.58 and the mean FABCPB score was 102.84 ± 9.62. The mean scores of the sub-dimension scores of the CHBMS of nursing students were as sensitivity perception 7.93 ± 2.13, seriousness perception 22.58 ± 5.26, benefit perception 17.25 ± 3.17, obstacle perception 22.89 ± 6.24, confidence 37.71 ± 7.53, and health motivation 26.47 ± 4.41 points. A significant correlation was found between the scores of the nursing students on the B-CAS, FABCPB, and CHBMS scales. Conclusions: Nursing students' scores on the B-CAS and FABCPB were moderate, CHBMS sensitivity and obstacle perception sub-dimension scores were low, severity perception scores were moderate, and benefit perception, trust, and health motivation sub-dimension scores were high. As the BC awareness of nursing students increased, their cancer prevention behaviors and health beliefs increased.

Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Among Menopaused Females in Al-Qassim Region

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent types of cancer among women worldwide including those in Saudi Arabia. The risk of developing BC can be lowered by reducing risk factors through early screening and by women having full knowledge of this condition. The aim of this study is thus to evaluate knowledge of the importance of early screening and detection of BC among post-menopausal women in Saudi Arabia's Qassim region and to compare it with pre-menopausal women.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study was conducted among post-menopausal women in the Qassim region. Data were collected by using a pre-tested, pre-coded, validated self-administered online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Social Package of Statistical Science) Statistics version 23.0.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 1386 women who agreed to participate in this study, of which 484 women reported that their menstruation had stopped (34.9%). In general, it was found that 73.7% of the participants had adequate knowledge with a significant difference between pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Concerning knowledge of BC (p = 0.042), pre-menopausal women had a higher level of knowledge (75.5% had adequate knowledge compared with 70.5% of post-menopausal women). Considering the source of knowledge of the participants regarding BC, websites or social media is considered the main source for 71.8% of the participants, followed by family and friends (52.2%). Concerning the knowledge about the risk factors of BC, 26.4% of the participants reported that they did not know them, and 11.8% of the participants did not know any of the symptoms of BC.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the knowledge of post-menopausal women was found to be adequate; however, it is significantly lower than that of the pre-menopausal women. Educational level is a significant factor that affects the level of knowledge regarding BC risk factors and different modalities for diagnosis and approaches for management, and this indicates the importance of increasing interest in education in our society.

Breast cancer knowledge and practices amongst women in Algeria

PURPOSE

The present study aims at investigating how Algerian women feel about Breast Cancer (BC) and Breast Self-Examination (BSE) in terms of knowledge and attitude and to determine the factors associated with performing BSE and its reluctance.

METHODS

We carried out a cross-sectional survey between October 14, 2021 and November 14, 2022, targeting Algerian females aged more than 18 years and living in the country using a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 436 participants were involved in this study among which 41.28% were aged between 21 and 30 years and 34.86% were aged between 31 and 40 years. The average level of correct responses with regard to knowledge about BC was estimated at 51.31%, whereas it was 32.93% concerning knowledge about BC risk factors. Family history was the less reported incriminating factor for developing BC among the asked women (7.34%). Concerning alarming signs of BC, the current study revealed that Algerian women were less knowledgeable about breast dimpling-puckering (44.27%), breast inward traction (50.23%), breast redness (54.13%), and nipple position change (54.13%). In terms of belief in the utility of BSE in the early detection of BC, almost all the participants (97.98%) were convinced of its utility, whereas 96.33% of them showed an interest in learning more about it. In what concerns the early screening tests, approximately, four-fifth of the participant (77.52%) heard about them, while 94.72% believed that its early detection could reduce the disease's severity and mortality.

CONCLUSION

These findings revealed an insufficient level of knowledge concerning BC, especially in regard to its risk factors and some alarming signs as well as a lack of knowledge about BSE and other BC screening tests; hence the necessity of awareness campaigns about this disease that should target categories with the lowest level of knowledge.

Awareness levels of breast cancer among female university and medical college students in Sylhet city of Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer has become a concerning health problem worldwide due to its increasing incidence rate. Women from developing countries are dying off due to the lack of knowledge on breast cancer and its different early detection programs.

AIMS

This study explores the level of knowledge about breast cancer risk factors, early warning signs, screening, and therapeutic approaches and their influential determinants among university and medical college students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 567 female university-level students (343 female students from 1 university and 224 female students from 1 medical college). This study used a semi-structured questionnaire about four aspects (risk factors, early warning signs, screening, and therapeutic approaches) of breast cancer, latent class analysis (LCA), and latent class regression (LCR) for investigation.

RESULTS

The percent of knowing correct answers of risk factors, early warning signs, screening approaches, and therapeutic methods were 86.3%, 69.8%, 70.2%, and 51.2%, respectively for medical students who had a high level of awareness and those for university students were 73.0%, 66.8%, 35.9%, and 24.7%. On the other hand, only 37.95% of medical students had been practicing Breast self-examination (BSE), while it was 18.37% for university students. The most effective predictors of the high level of awareness were age, advertisements (ad) promoting awareness about breast cancer, programs/campaign related to breast cancer, and personal breast problem history.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the awareness level about four aspects of breast cancer is low among university students and is moderately high among medical students. Therefore, relevant health education programs in every educational institute are urgently needed to improve the awareness levels among female students to improve women's health at home and abroad.

Effects of a health education intervention on knowledge and attitudes towards chronic non-communicable diseases among undergraduate students in Jordan

Aim

To assess the effect of a health promotion course on knowledge and attitudes towards chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) among undergraduate students in a Jordanian university.

Design

A one-group pre-test-post-test study design was used.

Methods

A convenience sample of 178 undergraduate students registered in a 3-credit health promotion course was enrolled in the study and completed both pre- and post-tests. This course is offered as an elective course for undergraduate students by the Faculty of Nursing at a large public university in Jordan. Twelve, one-hour interactive sessions regarding CNCDs topics were delivered over 3 weeks as part of the health promotion course. A computer-based questionnaire was used to evaluate students' knowledge and attitudes towards CNCDs including diabetes, hypertension and cancer, before and after undertaking the course.

Results

There was a significant improvement in the overall knowledge (Cohen's d effect size (d) = 1.08) and attitudes (d = 0.62) among all the students, regardless of gender. The overall knowledge and attitudes scores were significantly higher among females in the pre-test, but the differences in their overall scores became insignificant in the post-test. Education on specific topics was effective in improving university students' knowledge and attitudes about health-promoting behaviours, thereby preventing CNCDs. It is important to incorporate health promotion education regarding CNCDs into university curricula using innovative approaches to enhance healthy behaviours in young adults.

Breast cancer knowledge and awareness among females in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia in 2018

Aim:

This study aimed to measure breast cancer (BC) awareness among women in Al-Qassim and to compare the results to previous studies in Saudi Arabia and international studies.

Method:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. All women above 18 years of age were included and those who could not complete the questionnaire for any reason were excluded. The data were collected by using a valid pretested structured questionnaire taken from previous studies. Descriptive statistics were presented using frequency and proportion for all categorical variables and mean ± standard deviation for continuous variable. The relationship between dependent variable versus independent variables had been conducted using Chi-square test. P value of ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results:

Nearly all participants were highly aware of BC (95.4%) and half of them correctly identified that not only females are affected by BC. With regards to personal breast assessment, more than a half of them have done breast self-examination; however, only one out of four females had done clinical breast examination and mammography test. The most common risk factor of BC was family history and the commonest signs and symptoms were the size and shape changes of the breast. The prevalence of poor knowledge was 202 (38.9%) while good knowledge was 317 (61.1%). Age group in years and use of oral contraceptives were the independent significant factors of poor knowledge.

Conclusion:

The overall knowledge of women about BC in this study was inadequate. While half of the women performed breast self-examination on the contrary, the actual clinical breast examination found to be low. The most common risk factor being identified was family history of BC and smoking. Size and shape changes of breast as well as breast lump were the most common signs and symptoms. Age group in years and the use of contraceptives pills were being identified as the significant factors of knowledge toward BC.