Breast Self-Examination: Knowledge, Practice, and Beliefs Among Females in Jordan

SAGE Open Nurs. 2022 Oct 5:8:23779608221124517. doi: 10.1177/23779608221124517. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Worldwide, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females in Jordan.

Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate breast cancer knowledge levels and practice and assess health beliefs regarding the model supporting self-breast examination (BSE) in a group of females aged between 20 and 60 in Jordan.

Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design was used; Two hundred females participated in the study, employing convenient sampling. The adjusted version of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) was utilized to collect the data.

Results: Most participants were married (F = 128, 64%), and the mean of the participants' age was (36.18, SD = 10.87). About 73 participants (36.5%) don't practice BSE; however, 53 participants (26.5%) plan to practice BSE in the future monthly. The logistic regression model showed that the impact of confidence as positive predictive value on practicing BSE in the last year (B = 0.141, p < .001) and this year (B = 0.130, p < .001) was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Implications for practice include identifying culturally specific barriers and improving health education programs to trigger breast self-examination utilization.

Keywords: beliefs; breast cancer; breast self-examination; knowledge; practice.