A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Breast Self-examination among Girls in Selected Colleges of the City and to Develop and Disseminate an Informational Booklet on Breast Self-examination

Abstract

Background: Prevention is better than cure measures should be taken to prevent cancerous lesion by detecting it at earliest stage. Breast screening in general population has shown to reduce mortality and helps to detect it at earliest stage. Breast self-examination is a technique that all women can use to assess their own breasts. Women familiar with their own normal breast characteristics can easily notice the development of abnormalities early. Each woman and girls should be aware of her own risk factors with regular breast self-examination malignancy may be discovered early and effectively treated. Regular monthly breast self-examination is an essential health maintenance activity. Objective: (1) To assess the knowledge regarding breast self-examination among girls. (2) To assess the attitude regarding breast self-examination among girls. (3) To associate the level of knowledge regarding breast self-examination among girls with selected demographic variables. (4) To associate the attitude regarding breast self-examination among girls with selected demographic variables. Material and Method: The study was conducted in selected colleges of the city. Descriptive approach was used in this study. 100 girls in selected colleges of the city were selected for the study. Semi-structured knowledge questionnaire and rating scale were used to collect the data. Result: Majority of samples, i.e., 54% of them were having average level of knowledge score, 35% of them had good level of knowledge, 9% had poor level of knowledge score, and only 2% had very good and none of the sample, i.e., 0% were in excellent knowledge score and majority of the samples, i.e., 99% of the samples had positive attitude towards breast self-examination, and only 1% had neutral attitude towards breast self-examination and no one had negative attitude score regarding breast self-examination. Conclusion: After detailed analysis, it was found that there is significant association of level of knowledge score in relation to their previous knowledge about breast self-examination and source of information. It is observed by the study that there is significant association of level of attitude score in relation to their mothers educational status and source of information.