Awareness and Impact of Education on Breast Self Examination Among Housekeeping Staffs (Class IV Workers)

Abstract

Breast cancer accounts for 19–34% of all cancer cases among women in India. There is high mortality due to lack of awareness and nonexistent breast cancer screening programmes. Early detection and prompt
treatment offer the greatest chance of long-term survival and BSE (Breast Self Examination) seems to be an important viable optional substitute for early detection of cancer. The aim of the study was to assess the existing knowledge and skills on demonstration of BSE among class IV female workers, to determine the effectiveness of lecture cum demonstration on BSE, to find the association between the knowledge and selected variables such as age, education, socio economic status, exposure to mass media, and previous experience. Pre-experimental One group Pre-test Post-test design was carried out among 35 class IV female workers from selected wards of Manipal hospital. Majority of the subjects (57.1%) was below 30 years and 71.4% had an education of higher primary and above. Majority (77.1%) was married and 88.6% of women received less than Rs. 4,000 as income per month. 77.1% of them had working experience of less than 5 years and none of them (100%) had previous information on BSE and family history of breast cancer. The subjects who had attended the programme of lecture cum demonstration on BSE had significant gain in knowledge.