KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARD BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION AMONG YOUNG ADULT NURSING STUDENTS IN A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

This study aims to identify the knowledge and attitude towards breast self-examination among undergraduate nursing students in the public university at Peninsular Malaysia. The method used in the study is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted among 188 undergraduate students studied in a public university at Peninsular Malaysia. The level of knowledge and attitude of breast self-examination (BSE) measured using self-administered questionnaires. All data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 23.0 for Windows. The result of the study showed 33% of respondents had experienced BSE. 79.3% of respondents have good knowledge of cancer breast and BSE. 86.7% of respondents know about BSE and 35.1% of respondents had a positive attitude towards BSE. The educational level was found to have a significant relationship with an overall knowledge of breast cancer and BSE (p >0.001), and attitude towards BSE (p >0.001) and breast self-examination experienced (p >0.001). In conclusion, nursing students had good knowledge of breast cancer but they had not experienced BSE and have a negative attitude in practising BSE. An intervention should be designed to enhance nursing students’ proficiency in performing BSE.