Effects of Promoting Breast Self-Examination Programme on Women in Hindat Sub-District, Dankhunthot District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the effect of the breast selfexamination program for women aged 45-54 years in Ban Huai Chorakhe community, Hindat sub-district, Dankhunthot district, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Sixty female participants were equally divided into the controlled and intervention group through purposive sampling. Unlike the controlled group, self-efficacy and social support theory were applied in the intervention group. The participants in the invention group were involved in activities so as to gain knowledge from lectures, video presentation and brochure; to have a practical breast examination with simulated breast model; and to receive home-visiting services. Questionnaires with the 0.94 confidence were used for data collection. The data were analyzed by t-test and descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results showed that the average score of the intervention group was different from that of the controlled group at a statistically significant difference .05 (p<0.001). Moreover, participants in the intervention group had higher post-test average scores than the pretest averaged scores, at a statistically significant difference (p<0.001), about knowledge on breast cancer, self-efficacy in breast self-examination, expectations on benefits of breast selfexamination and behaviors of breast self-examination. This study, therefore, confirms that the promoting breast self-examination which developed from self-efficacy and social support theory increase participants’ accessibility to breast cancer screening services. This program should also be employed as the guidelines for community health officials to increase the breast self-examination among women in their working area.