Abstract

This research was conducted for the purpose of determining the effect of education about breast cancer and breast self examination (BSE) given to female students living in the dormitory on their knowledge and attitudes. Two hundred female students staying at the Denizli Province Credit and Dormitory Institution's dormitory were taken into the sample and data were obtained using a demographic questionnaire and "Survey about Knowledge of Breast Cancer and Breast Self Examination." The research forms were completed twice between November 2005 and February 2006 after permission was obtained officially from the institution and verbally from the students. After the first time the forms were completed a BSE brochure, which answered the questions on the survey, was used to give education to the students. The data were evaluated using percentage, Kruskal Wallis test, t test and t test in dependent groups. The mean age of the students was 20.1±1.6. Almost half (47.5%) of the students were in the education faculty, 58% had not previously received information about BSE, 69.5% were not performing BSE, 21.5 were occasionally performing BSE. Half (50%) of the students did not know how to perform BSE, 6.5% had a family member with breast cancer and 6% had discomfort in their breasts. There was a statistically significant difference determined between the pre and post-education mean scores in the students' BSE knowledge acquisition, source of knowledge acquired, BSE performance status and BSE performance frequency (p

Key words: breast self examination, education, student

Article Language: Turkish English