Introduction: The prevalence of cancer is growing rapidly in all parts of the word and Ethiopia is no exception. Secondary prevention, as simple as monthly breast self-examination, is the best option to tackle the rising of this epidemic. Health awareness programs on screening and early detection are the corner stones to reduce the morbidity and mortality resulting from breast cancer.
Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among first year female midwifery students in Hawassa health Sciences College.
Methods and materials: A pre-experimental one group pre-posttest design was used among 61 students who were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaire and adapted and approved checklist. Data was entered using Epi-Info and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Pre-and post-intervention results were calculated using paired t-test.
Results: The mean age of the study participants was 20.13(±2.27) and 77% of the study participants were single. Before the intervention 14(23%) of respondents had information and practiced breast self-examination, only 8(13.1%) performed breast self -examination on a regular monthly basis. The number and percentage of the knowledgeable respondents pre-post intervention is 23(37.7%) and 35(57.4%), respectively. The mean knowledge difference for the pre-post intervention is 0.18±0.695 (P < 0.05). The respondents' pre- post interventions score of satisfactory practical competency were 10(16.4%) and 43(70.5%), respectively as well. The mean net gain for the pre-post breast self-examination intervention is 0.51± 0.62 (P < 0.001). Both the knowledge and practical competency scores showed highly significant increment after the intervention, showing that the research hypothesis was accepted.
Conclusion and recommendations: Planned teaching intervention on knowledge and Breast self-examination of students has resulted in an increment of both knowledge and the practice of breast self-examination. Teaching breast self-examination with demonstration to all at risk groups as a secondary prevention for breast cancer and large scale studies on heterogeneous groups is important.