The impact of health education on breast cancer's detection - related health behaviors and self-efficacy of young females

This study investigated the impact of health information provision on young females’ breast cancer- related health beliefs and behaviors, following a within- subjects before-after no control group design. Firstly, the respondents’ breast cancer related baseline knowledge and self-efficacy were assessed, and then they were exposed to information regarding breast cancer. Respondents’ beliefs and knowledge   were assessed a second time after a fortnight.

 The sample consisted of 50 female university students, aged 18 to 21 years, belonging to middle socioeconomic class, with no previous exposure to breast cancer related information. A health knowledge and behavior questionnaire, Self-efficacy Scale, Preaction BSE Self-efficacy Scale (Luszczynska & Schwarzer, 2003), a multimedia presentation about cancer, and   a health education leaflet about breast cancer were used.

Considerable improvements in health behaviors were reported after treatment, the most significant being in the practice of breast self examination (BSE).  In the pre-exposure phase, only 18% participants had reported ever having practiced BSE, whereas in the post-exposure phase 52% reported this practice.

The participants reported a number of health behavior changes after exposure to health education. They now believed that early detection could help prevent the serious nature of most diseases, and that risk factors associated with breast cancer could be prevented by acquiring relevant information. Most of the participants had transferred information to others.  Statistically significant improvements were also found in the self-efficacy of the participants ( t= 8.249, sig.= .000). 

The present study provides evidence that health knowledge affects not only health behaviors, but health related perceived self-efficacy as well.  It implies that health knowledge needs to be treated as an empowering - enabling agent that can play a vital role in improving women’s health-status. This implication is meaningful for all quarters involved in community/public health, especially the health educators, teachers, and community workers.