EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ABOUT BREAST CANCER AND BREAST CANCER SELF-EXAMINATION ON PERCEPTION AND PRACTICE AMONG WOMEN IN ALJEERAIF WEST ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT (2)
In Sudan, cancer incidence has been growing considerably in recent years and is likely to continue to grow creating a big burden on the health system resources. The aim of this study is to assess the baseline Perception and Practice about breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) and to nd out the effectiveness of an educational program about breast cancer and BSE on Perception and Practice among women in AlJeeraif West Administrative Unit. Community based intervention study with pre-post and control was carried out among 200 women who were recruited by means of multistage sampling. The sample size was divided equally into intervention and control groups. Baseline data was collected from both groups through direct interview, using structured close ended questionnaire. Educational program was implemented for the intervention group. Four months after the intervention, women in the study and control groups were exposed to the same questionnaire. Chi-square, paired t-test and independent t-test (difference of difference) were conducted in the course of the data analyses. There was statistically signicant difference in the intervention group pre-post program in all of the HBM components in the intervention group (p value0.000), while in the control group statistically signicant difference existed only in perceived barrier (p value.004) and perceived benet (p value.000) and over all perception (p value .016) with no signicant difference in other (HBM) components. In the intervention group practice and performance scores were highly signicant pre-post program (p value 0.000), where as in the control group only practice was signicant (p value 0.001). There were statistically signicant differences in the mean difference of performance, practice and perceptions between the intervention and control groups (p-value .000). The results of this study have conrmed the effectiveness of educational program based on the health belief model on improving perceptions and practice of breast cancer and breast self-examination.