Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Knowledge, Awareness, Attitude, and Practice Among Female Undergraduate Medical Students of a Public Sector Medical College in Punjab, Pakistan.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of BSE Among Female Medical Students

Abstract

Objective: Our study aims to assess the knowledge, awareness, attitude, and practice of Breast Self-Examination (BSE) among female undergraduate medical students.

Methodology: After receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and obtaining written informed consent from the participants, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 117 female undergraduate medical students from the 1st year to the final year, from July 2024 to September 2024, at Sahiwal medical college, a public sector institution in Punjab, Pakistan. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire via a convenience sampling technique and analyzed using SPSS version 26 for descriptive statistics (frequency and percentages).

Results: Of the 117 participants, 17.9% (n=21) were from the 1st year, 18.8% (n=22) from the 2nd year, 23.1% (n=27) from the 3rd year, 21.4% (n=25) from the 4th year, and 18.8% (n=22) were from the final year. The study shows that two-thirds of participants have adequate knowledge of BSE. Similarly, 105 (89.7%) participants find BSE easy to perform, while 59 (50.4%) reported practicing it.

Conclusion: Medical students have a better understanding of breast cancer and its earlier diagnosis, which contributes to a positive attitude towards BSE. Awareness regarding BSE should also be promoted among the general population to help control this disease.