Educational Study to Increase Breast Cancer Knowledge Level and Scanning Participation among Women Working at a University.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to increase the participation level of women in screening programs by increasing the level of knowledge about early diagnosis and screening methods for breast cancer (BC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a pretest-posttest one group design study held in Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Turkey. The sample consisted of 405 women in all departments of the University. Data were collected using socio-demographic forms and questionnaires. Training about BC was provided for participants. The questionnaire used prior to the training to measure levels of knowledge about BC was re-administered 3 weeks after the training.

RESULTS: The women were most commonly aware of the breast self-examination (68.1%). The ratio of women who had had mammography in the previous year was 11.4%. The BC knowledge level significantly increased after the training (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION: This study determined that the level of knowledge about BC in terms of early detection and screening was low and that the percentage of participation in screening was also low.