Researchers conducted a pre-experimental pretest-posttest study at a selected hospital in North East India to evaluate the effectiveness of a health awareness program. The program aimed to improve the knowledge and practice of self-breast examination (SBE) for early detection of breast cancer among female patient attendants, addressing breast cancer as a leading cause of cancer deaths and the critical need for early detection, often hampered by a lack of awareness in low and middle-income regions.
For the study, 60 female patient attendants were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Participants initially completed a pretest, which involved a structured knowledge questionnaire and a self-reported practice checklist on SBE. Following the pretest, they received a structured health awareness program that incorporated lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and audiovisual aids. A posttest was then administered seven days after the program's intervention to assess changes in their knowledge and practice.
The study results indicated a significant improvement in both knowledge and practice scores following the program. The mean knowledge score increased from 10.37 ± 3.42 in the pretest to 22.28 ± 3.01 in the posttest (p < 0.001), and the mean practice score rose from 4.10 ± 1.57 to 9.20 ± 1.25 (p < 0.001). Researchers concluded that the health awareness program was highly effective in enhancing knowledge and practical application of SBE for early breast cancer detection. They recommended implementing regular awareness programs, especially for women in underserved areas, and integrating SBE education into primary healthcare.
