OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of BrAware Apps in increasing the knowledge of BC risk factors, awareness of warning signs and confidence in breast self-examination (BSE) among women in northeast peninsular Malaysia.
METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre and post-test research design were conducted with 41 women participants in Kelantan, Malaysia, before and after using the BrAware apps. Participants were given an online, adapted Breast Cancer Awareness Measure questionnaire. Post-test was 2 months after using the BrAware apps. Comparison using paired T-tests were conducted to evaluate the change in knowledge of risk factors, warning signs awareness and confidence level for BSE.
RESULTS: The mean age of women was 39.71(SD = 8.80). The participants' mean knowledge score of BC warning signs differs before using BrAware (mean 70.62, SD 11.74) and after using the BrAware app (mean 79.83, SD 10.15) at the <0.001 level of significance.
CONCLUSIONS: The BrAware mobile app had a positive effect in increasing the women's knowledge of risk factors of BC, warning signs awareness and confidence level for BSE. It can be concluded that the mobile app may be an adjunct in educating women on BC.
OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to identify requirements in developing a breast examination awareness mobile app based on the component of the Health Belief Model (HBM) for integration in health promotion strategy.
METHODS: A qualitative approach using semi-structured in-depth interview was utilized in this study. A purposive sampling method was conducted among public women attending hospital services, software and content experts in a tertiary teaching hospital in the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia. These interviews were recorded, transcribed and organized using NVIVO 11. The main themes were identified through thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Results: A total of 37 participants recruited in this study. The themes that emerged from the analysis are vulnerability, forecasting, reactive, influence, outcome and obstacles. The sub-themes findings supported the HBM's component in terms of the requirement for are an infographic risk factor, video (symptoms, self-examination), info (metastasis, survival, screening, triple assessment, treatment, myth and facts, benefit of early treatment, support groups), features (screening reminder, sharing button, prompt) and mobile app's design.
CONCLUSION: The research findings could provide a guide for future app development from public women, content and software experts. The information will be used to develop a breast examination awareness mobile app integrated with health theories.
Materials and methods: This study employed a multi-stage sampling method using a simple proportion formula at 5% type 1 error, p < 0.05 and absolute error at 2% which resulted in a sample of 520 participants. The data for the study was obtained using a validated bilingual self-constructed questionnaire and the model constructed using Mplus software.
Results: Perceived severity, benefits and barriers were found to significantly influence the behavioral adoption of BSE. Married women aged from 45 to 55 years and knowledge were found to significantly moderate the relationship between perceived benefits and behavioral adoption of BSE. Further, self-efficacy was found as the core construct that mediates the relationship between married women aged 45 to 55 years and the behavioral adoption of BSE.
Conclusion: Self-efficacy is found in the study to influence the behavioral adoption of BSE. This is undeniable as self-efficacy can promote confidence in initiating and maintenance of behavioral change if the perceived change is beneficial at an acceptable cost.
OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the trustworthiness indicators that are suitable for a breast self-examination system, (2) design and propose a breast self-examination system, and (3) evaluate the multifaceted trustworthiness interaction between patients and physicians.
METHODS: We used a qualitative study design based on open-ended interviews with 32 participants (16 outpatients and 16 physicians). The interview started with an introduction to the research objective and an explanation of the steps on how to use the proposed breast self-examination system. The breast self-examination system was then evaluated by asking the patient to rate their trustworthiness with the physician after the consultation. The evaluation was also based on monitoring the activity in the chat room (interactions between physicians and patients) during daily meetings, weekly meetings, and the articles posted by the physician in the forum.
RESULTS: Based on the interview sessions with 16 physicians and 16 patients on using the breast self-examination system, honesty had a strong positive correlation (r=0.91) with trustworthiness, followed by credibility (r=0.85), confidence (r=0.79), and faith (r=0.79). In addition, belief (r=0.75), competency (r=0.73), and reliability (r=0.73) were strongly correlated with trustworthiness, with the lowest correlation found for reputation (r=0.72). The correlation among trustworthiness indicators was significant (Pbreast self-examination system. Evaluation of trustworthiness indicators helps to ensure a trustworthy system and ethical interaction between a patient and physician. A new patient can obtain a consultation by referring to the best physician according to preference of other patients. Patients can also trust a physician based on another patient's recommendation regarding the physician's trust level. The correlation analysis further showed that the most preferred trustworthiness indicator is honesty.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 520 women from three different government health clinics in Kuantan and IIUM Family Health Clinic from February to April 2018. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic factors and knowledge of breast cancer and its effect on the behavioral adoption of BSE.
Results: Significant difference was found between socio-demographic characteristics and behavioral adoption of BSE. However, only breast screening and the best time for screening were found to be significant with the behavioral adoption of BSE and knowledge of breast cancer.
Conclusion: It is found that most women in Kuantan, Pahang perform BSE but were still unaware of the importance of performing BSE for early breast cancer detection. This study was expected to enhance women's awareness of the benefits of performing BSE.
METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was carried out for female 90 medical and 80 nursing students in Oman in November 2019. A pre-test questionnaire was given before the training program and a post-test questionnaire was administered after the training program. Students’ knowledge, attitude, and skills regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination were compared. Scores for skills of practicing breast self-examination were compared between lecture and activity group and lecture-only group.
RESULTS: Pre-test and post-test data were collected from 170 female students. Significant improvements were observed in the post-test scores for students’ knowledge, attitude, and skills after the intervention (P<0.001). The mean scores for skills of practicing breast self-examination after the lecture and the activity were higher than those obtained after the lecture only (P=0.014 for medical students and P=0.016 for nursing students).
CONCLUSION: An educational training program on breast cancer and breast self-examination with an emphasis on skills can motivate participants to perform breast self-examination regularly, and may therefore help students to train other women to perform breast self-examination for the early detection of breast cancer.
METHODS: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out among 370 female undergraduate students from January 2011 to April 2012 in two selected public universities in Malaysia. Participants were randomized to either the intervention group or the control group. The educational program was delivered to the intervention group. The outcome measures were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 months after implementing the health educational program. Chi-square, independent samples t-test and two-way repeated measures ANOVA (GLM) were conducted in the course of the data analyses.
RESULTS: Mean scores of knowledge on breast cancer (p<0.003), knowledge on breast self examination (p<0.001), benefits of BSE (p<0.00), barrier of BSE (0.01) and confidence of BSE practice (p<0.00) in the intervention group had significant differences in comparison with those of the control group 6 and 12 months after the intervention. Also, among those who never practiced BSE at baseline, frequency of BSE practice increased 6 and 12 months after the intervention (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The Breast Health Awareness program based on health the belief model had a positive effect on knowledge of breast cancer and breast self-examination and practice of BSE among females in Malaysia.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ANZCTR clinical trial registry ( ACTRN12616000831482 ), retrospectively registered on Jun 23, 2016 in ANZCTR.org.au.
DESIGN: A qualitative interview study with thematic analysis of transcripts.
PARTICIPANTS: 67 patients with self-discovered breast symptoms were included in the analysis. Of these, 36% were of Malay ethnicity, 39% were Chinese and 25% Indian, with an average age of 58 years (range 24-82 years). The number of women diagnosed at early stages of cancer almost equalled those at advanced stages. Approximately three-quarters presented with a painless lump, one-quarter experienced a painful lump and 10% had atypical symptoms.
SETTING: University hospital setting in Singapore and Malaysia.
RESULTS: Patients revealed barriers to early presentation not previously reported: the poor quality of online website information about breast symptoms, financial issues and the negative influence of relatives in both countries, while perceived poor quality of care and services in state-run hospitals and misdiagnosis by healthcare professionals were reported in Malaysia. The pattern of presentation by ethnicity remained unchanged where more Malay delayed help-seeking and had more advanced cancer compared to Chinese and Indian patients.
CONCLUSIONS: There are few differences in the pattern of presentation and in the reported barriers to seek medical care after symptom discovery between Singapore and Malaysia despite their differing economic status. Strategies to reduce delayed presentation are: a need to improve knowledge of disease, symptoms and causes, quality of care and services, and quality of online information; and addressing fear of diagnosis, treatment and hospitalisation, with more effort focused on the Malay ethnic group. Training is needed to avoid missed diagnoses and other factors contributing to delay among health professionals.