Abstract
CONTEXT: Breast self-examination (BSE) is one of the early detection methods for breast cancer. Health education can increase awareness and practice of BSE. Development of skills of BSE can help women find breast abnormality efficiently and aid in early diagnosis of breast cancer. AIM: To assess effectiveness of skill-based training on skill development of BSE among women of reproductive age group. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A pretest and posttest design quasiexperimental study was carried out in rural field practice area under Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College. METHODS AND MATERIAL: A total of 108 women were included. Baseline assessment of skills was done and skill-based training provided using videos and training on dummy breast model, followed by assessment of skills in three aspects, namely, identification of images, following steps of BSE and finding lumps in dummy breast model using observation checklist. Statistical Analysis Used: The Friedman test used to compare mean scores among pretest, posttest and after 2 months. P value < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Total mean score for skills of BSE out of 17 before training 3.83 ± 1.8 which increased to 11.48 ± 1.5 after 2 months (P < 0.001), where mean score for identification of images was 5.75 ± 0.9 out of 7, following steps of BSE was 2.34 ± 0.8 out of 5 and finding lump in breast model was 3.39 ± 1.0 out of 5. The proportion of subjects practicing BSE increased from 4.6% to 89.4% after 2 months (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The overall skills of BSE were found to be inadequate which significantly improved after skill-based training using videos and demonstration.