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Fulltext Breast awareness mobile apps for health education and promotion for breast cancer

Yusuf A, P Iskandar YH, Ab Hadi IS, Nasution A, Lean Keng S

Front Public Health, 2022;10:951641.
PMID: 36324460 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.951641

BACKGROUND: Lack of knowledge, poor awareness, and attitude are barriers to breast cancer (BC) screening participation. The ubiquitous usage of mobile phones makes it a perfect platform for delivering interventions to increase knowledge and awareness in screening, a strategy for early identification of BC. However, although numerous applications for BC prevention are available on major mobile phone platforms, relatively few have been tested in scientific studies to determine their efficacy.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination
Fulltext Practice and barriers toward breast self-examination among young Malaysian women

Al-Naggar RA, Al-Naggar DH, Bobryshev YV, Chen R, Assabri A

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(5):1173-8.
PMID: 21875261

INTRODUCTION: The etiology of breast cancer is still unknown and adequate primary prevention strategies or interventions are still not possible. Therefore, early detection remains the first priority and regular practice of breast self-examination (BSE) influences treatment, quality of life, survival, and prognosis of breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the practices and barriers towards breast self-examination among young Malaysian women.
METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study was conducted among 251 female students at the Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed at gathering places such as the university cafeteria, the university plaza, the Islamic center, and at the library. In addition, questionnaires were distributed in the lecture halls. The proposal of this study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of Management and Science University. Data was analysis using SPSS version 13, t-test was used to analyze the associated factors toward the practice of BSE.
RESULTS: A total number of 251 students participated in this study. The majority of them were older than 20 years old,of Malay racial origin, single and from urban areas (66.5%; 63.7%; 96%; 70.9% respectively). Regarding their lifestyle practices, the majority of participants do exercise, are non-smokers and do not drink alcohol (71.3%; 98.4%; 94.4% respectively). More than half of the study participants mentioned that they have practiced BSE (55.4%). Regarding the sources of information about BSE, the majority mentioned that radio and TV were their main sources of information (38.2%). Age, exercise and family history of cancer significantly influenced the practice of BSE (p = 0.045; p=0.002; p=0.017 respectively). Regarding the barriers to BSE, the majority who never practiced BSE mentioned that lack of knowledge, not having any symptoms, and being afraid of being diagnosed with breast cancer were the main barriers to practicing BSE (20.3%; 14.3%; 4.4% respectively).
CONCLUSION: More than half of the participants practiced BSE. Age, exercise and family history of cancer significantly influenced the practice of the BSE. Lack of knowledge, not having any symptoms and being afraid of being diagnosed with breast cancer were the main barriers to practicing BSE. There is an urgent need to develop a continuous awareness campaign among university students on the importance of performing BSE.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination/trends; Breast Self-Examination/statistics & numerical data*
Fulltext Awareness and practice of breast self examination among Malaysian women with breast cancer

Loh SY, Chew SL

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(1):199-202.
PMID: 21517257

Breast self-examination (BSE) is a self-generated, non-invasive and non-irradiative method of breast cancer detection. This paper documents Malaysian women's awareness and practice of regular BSE as a potent breast cancer detection tool. A pre-test post-test questionnaire survey on women diagnosed with breast cancer (n=66) was conducted. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were performed to correlate demographic variables, knowledge and regular practice of BSE. Findings showed that 80% of the breast cancer survivors self-detected the breast lumps, despite a high 85% of these women reporting they were never taught about BSE. More than 70% of the women maintained that lack of knowledge/skill on the proper practice of BSE was the key barrier to a more regular BSE practice. After an educational intervention on BSE and breast awareness, we found an increase report from 17% (at pre-test) to 67% (at post-test) of self reported monthly BSE practices. Provision of self-management education incorporating BSE, a readily available cheap method, should be introduced at primary care and breast clinics. This strategy promotes women's self-efficacy which contributes towards cancer control agenda in less resource available countries around Asia Pacific. Longer follow up may be crucial to examine the adherence to positive BSE behaviour.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination/methods*; Breast Self-Examination/psychology*
Fulltext Result of randomized control trial to increase breast health awareness among young females in Malaysia

Akhtari-Zavare M, Juni MH, Said SM, Ismail IZ, Latiff LA, Ataollahi Eshkoor S

BMC Public Health, 2016 08 08;16:738.
PMID: 27502284 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3414-1

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second principal cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide as well as in Malaysia. Breast self-examination (BSE) has a role in raising breast cancer awareness among women and educational programs play an important role in breast cancer preventive behavior. The aim of this study is to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of Breast Health Awareness program based on health belief model on knowledge of breast cancer and breast-selfexamination and BSE practice among female students in Malaysia.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination/psychology; Breast Self-Examination/statistics & numerical data*
Fulltext Barriers to breast self examination practice among Malaysian female students: a cross sectional study

Akhtari-Zavare M, Juni MH, Ismail IZ, Said SM, Latiff LA

Springerplus, 2015;4:692.
PMID: 26587360 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-1491-8

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer and the second reason of cancer deaths among woman worldwide, including Malaysia. The objective of this paper is to assess the practice of breast self-examination (BSE) and identify the barriers of BSE practice among undergraduate female students in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination
Fulltext Knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among women aged 20-60 attending outpatient department in Kuantan. [Tahap pengetahuan dan amalan pemeriksaan sendiri payudara di kalangan wanita berumur 20-60 tahun yang hadir di jabatan pesakit luar Kuantan.]

Nurly Zahureen, M., Ardi, A., Wan Rosealaiza, W.A.G., Nur Aiza, Z., Suzana, H., Norazemi, A.

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2003;3(2):33-37.
MyJurnal

The National Health Morbidity Survey 1996 showed only 34.2% of women aged 20 years and above had done breast self examination (BSE). This data showed the practice of BSE is still low despite of various awareness programmes and activities carried out. A cross sectional study through Systematic Random Sampling was done at Out Patient Department, Kuantan Health Office to know the knowledge and practice of BSE among women aged 20~60 years. The results showed 94.9% respondents had received information about BSE, however only 31.6% knew the appropriate time to do BSE, 14.7% knew the purpose of doing at that time and only 29.9% knew how frequent they should do BSE. 74% of respondents did BSE, however 70.2% of them did not do monthly and 67.2% did not do at the suggested time. There was an association between the practice of BSE with the knowledge and sociodemographic characteristics i.e. educational level, income, ethnic group and marital status.
Key word: Breast self-examination, breast cancer, Kuantan.
Study site: Klinik Kesihatan, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Self-Examination*