Predictors of Breast Self-Examination Practice among Jordanian Female University Students

Arwa M alsaraireh, Muhammad Darawad

Abstract


Background: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common types of cancer among women in both the developed and developing world. Most women are diagnosed with BC in late stages of the disease; efforts to fight it should start earlier with screening and early detection.

Aims: To evaluate the level of Jordanian female university students’ practice of breast self-examination (BSE), and to identify the predictors of their practice of BSE.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilized. Data were collected from 236 participants from a public university, in the southern region of Jordan during February-March 2017,using self-administered questionnaires.

Results: A minority of participants (37.5%)were found to practice BSE as frequently as recommended, which had a significant positive correlation with all aspects of knowledge regarding BC; the highest correlation was with knowledge of BSE (r= .273, P<0.01) and the lowest was with knowledge of BC warning signs (r= .139, P<.05). Similarly, participants’ practice of BSE had a significant positive correlation with their attitude toward it(r= .381, P<0.01). Further analysis revealed a three-predictor model (knowledge of BC risk factors, knowledge of BSE, and attitudes toward BSE) that explained about 21% of the variance in participants’ practice of BSE (R2= .21, F(230)=13,02, P= .000).

Conclusion: Participants practiced less BSE than recommended, which was associated with attitudes toward and knowledge of BSE, BC warning signs and breast screening. This study points to an emergent need to increase female students’ awareness about the importance of BSE by tailored educational programmes that promote their BSE practice.

Keywords: Breast Cancer; Breast Self-Examination; Predictors; Female University Students; Jordan.

 

الخلفية: سرطان الثدي هو واحد من أكثر أنواع السرطان شيوعًا بين النساء في كل من العالم المتقدم والنامي. يتم تشخيص معظم النساء بالـسرطان في المراحل المتأخرة من المرض ، حيث يجب أن تبدأ جهود مكافحة هذا المرض مبكراً بالكشف المبكر والفحص.

الأهداف: تقييم مستوى ممارسة الطلاب الجامعيين الأردنيات للفحص الذاتي للثدي ، وتحديد التنبؤات لممارستهم للفحص الثدي الذاتي.

الطريقة: تم استخدام تصميم وصفي ، مستعرضة. تم جمع البيانات من 236 مشاركه من جامعه حكوميه غي جنوب الأردن باستخدام استبيانات تدار ذاتيا.

النتائج: كانت الممارسة للفحص الثدي الذاتي أقل من الموصى بها (37.5 ٪) ، والتي كانت ذات ارتباط إيجابي كبير مع جميع جوانب المعرفة بشأن سرطان الثدي ، مع أعلى علاقة مع المعرفة في الفحص الثدي الذاتي (ص = .273 ، P <.01) و أدنى ارتباط مع المعرفة من علامات الخطورة (ص =. 139 ، P <.05). وبالمثل ، كانت ممارسة المشاركين للفحص الثدي الذاتي علاقة إيجابية كبيرة مع مواقفهم من الفحص الثدي الذاتي (ص =. 381 ، P <.01). وكشف تحليل إضافي عن نموذج 3-predictor (معرفة عوامل خطر BC ، ومعرفة الفحص الثدي الذاتي ، والمواقف تجاه BSE) التي أوضحت حوالي 21 ٪ من التباين في ممارسة المشاركين للفحص الثدي الذاتي (R2 = .21 ، F (230) = 13 ، 02 ، P = .000).

الاستنتاج: مارس المشاركون أقل للفحص الثدي الذاتي من الموصى به ، والذي كان مرتبطا مع المواقف تجاه الفحص الثدي الذاتي والمعرفة فيما يتعلق بعلامات الإنذار لسرطان الثدي. تشير هذه الدراسة إلى الحاجة الماسة إلى زيادة وعي الطلاب حول أهمية الفحص الثدي الذاتي من خلال برامج تعليمية مصممة خصيصًا لتعزيز ممارستهم للفحص الثدي الذاتي.

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