Publication:

A study to assess the effectiveness of breast self-examination demonstration on practice of breast self-examination among women employed in a selected hospital, Bengaluru

Background In 2020, 2.3 million women worldwide were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, leading to 685,000 reported deaths. One of the main reasons for this high mortality is delayed detection, which could be reduced through regular breast self-examination (BSE). Women working in housekeeping roles often have limited education and low awareness of BSE due to their socioeconomic status. Educating this group can serve as a gateway to broader community awareness. This study was undertaken to assess how effective a demonstration-based intervention is in improving BSE practices among this population.

Methods A quantitative one-group pre-test post-test study design was used. The sample included 69 women aged 20–60 years from the housekeeping department of a tertiary hospital in Bengaluru, selected through purposive sampling. Participants initially demonstrated their BSE skills using a dummy model. They then received hands-on training in three techniques-circular, wedge and sweeping. After seven days, they were reassessed through re-demonstration. Data were evaluated using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Results Before the intervention, 92.76% of participants showed poor BSE practice (mean=1.22, SD=1.69). Post-intervention, none exhibited poor practice; 73.91% had average and 26.09% had good practice levels (mean=5.83, SD=1.98), indicating a significant improvement.

Conclusions The results show that demonstration-based teaching significantly enhances BSE practice. Such approaches are practical and effective in promoting early detection, particularly among underserved women.