Abstract
BACKGROUND: Correctly, performing breast self-examination (BSE) has an important role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer and prevention of women's mortality due to it. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of virtual education programs on breast self-examination, self-efficacy, and skills. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 146 women who were 18-59 years old (73 in each intervention, and control group) working in Fars Oil Industry. Data collection tools included the researcher-made knowledge questionnaire (10 items), the self-efficacy questionnaire of Champion and Scott (10 item), and Wood's breast self-examination skill questionnaire (23 items). The participants were selected by systematic random sampling and divided into intervention and control groups through Permuted blocks randomization. A four-week virtual educational interventions were conducted for the intervention group through the WhatsApp messenger by sharing educational videos, booklets, and posters. The control group received no education. The questionnaires were completed by both groups, before and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 22 using frequency descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and paired t-test. RESULTS: The knowledge mean scores showed no significant differences in participants in the two groups before and after the intervention. The mean score of self-efficacy increased significantly, in both the intervention (p < 0.001) and control (P = 0.025) groups. After the intervention, the mean scores of BSE skills in the intervention group were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than the control group. CONCLUSION: Virtual education using social networks alone is not able to increase and improve all aspects of BSE skills sufficiently.