Journal of Pregnancy and Child Health
Open Access

Breast self-examination; Nursing students

Over the past decade, several research findings and data sources have indicated an increasing burden of carcinoma in terms of incidence, morbidity, and mortality associated with carcinoma. Breast cancer is additionally the first explanation for cancer death among women globally, liable for about 425,000 deaths in 2010 [1,2]. There will be an estimated 18.1 million new cancer cases (17.0 million excluding non melanoma skin cancer) and 9.6 million cancer deaths (9.5 million excluding no melanoma skin cancer) in 2018. In both sexes combined, carcinoma is that the most ordinarily diagnosed cancer (11.6% of the entire cases) and therefore the leading explanation for cancer death (18.4% of the entire cancer deaths), closely followed by female breast cancer (11.6%), prostate cancer (7.1%), and colorectal cancer (6.1%) for incidence and colorectal cancer (9.2%), stomach cancer (8.2%), and liver cancer (8.2%) for mortality [3]. BSE monthly between the 7th and 10th day of the cycle is that the simplest yet extremely important thanks to detect carcinoma at the first stage of growth [ibid]. Doing BSE is one way for a woman to know how her breasts normally feel so that she can notice any changes that do occur. This examination is critical for Ghanaian women because black women have been found to bear the greater burden of breast cancer mortality compared to other races. In order to perform BSE, the individual must possess the knowledge of and have the skill of doing so. BSE is important for enabling women become familiar with the feel and appearance of their breast; and help them easily and quickly detect any changes that occur. [4]

Monthly breast self-exams can assist you detect changes which will be signs of infection or carcinoma (such as breast lumps or spots that feel different). When carcinoma is detected early, the probabilities for survival are far better. Not similarly CBE and mammography which require hospital visit and specialized equipment and expertise, BSE is inexpensive and administered by women themselves. Although mammography remains the simplest diagnostic tool within the detection of carcinoma, it's not routinely performed in Nigeria due to cost, technology equipment and expertise required. Mammograms miss most breast lump in the younger age groups; this is likely to happen in Nigeria where cases below 30 have been reported To reduce the burden of breast cancer in India, it is necessary to first determine the level of knowledge and practice (skill) relating to breast self-examination as a breast cancer prevention strategy especially among our teaming youths who at this stage of life can continue this practice to adulthood. Therefore, this study was aimed to identify the level of knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among female undergraduates in RP IIT campus, carnal, Haryana, India [4-6]. There is a scarcity of huge scale breast screening programs in India. BSE is advocated, but data on what proportion exercised is not available [7]. Nearly all Indian BC's are clinically detected; almost none are detected by screening [8].

“A study to assess the knowledge regarding breast self-examination among the Nursing students of RP. Inderaprastha Institute of Medical Sciences. With the view to provide education through video.”

1. To assess the knowledge regarding breast self-examination among the Nursing students.

2. To find out the association between knowledge score of breast self-examination with selected demographical variables.

Operational definitions

Knowledge: It refers to the ability of nursing students to respond to questions dealing with breast self-examination as evident knowledge score measured by a structured knowledge questionnaire and categorized as Very good(>75%), Good (61-75%), Average(50-60%) and below average(<50%).

Breast self-examination (BSE): It refers to regular systematic examination of both breast and unclear area by women visually and by palpation using her own hand on her breast for the purpose of detecting any abnormality.

Nursing students: It refers to ANM and GNM students of R P Inderaprastha Institute of Medical Sciences.

Video: It refers to the well planned teaching video regarding breast self-examination.

Assumptions

The study assumed that

1. Nursing students has inadequate knowledge regarding Breast self-examination.

2. Video helps to improving the knowledge of nursing students regarding the breast self-examination.

Delimitations

The study was limited to ANM & GNM Students of R.P. Inderaprastha Institute of Medical Sciences.

Reseach approach:

Explorative descriptive approach adopted by the researcher for the accomplishment of the present study.

Research design:

The investigator has adopted descriptive research design.

Settings of the reseach:

The present study was conducted in selected nursing college of Haryana, R.P Indaraprastha institute of medical sciences.

Population:

In this study, Target population comprises of all subjects study in GNM 3rd year and ANM 2ND year and accessible population includes all subjects studying in ANM and GNM fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria and studying in R.P Inderaprastha Institute of Medical Sciences.

Sample:

The sample in this study includes 3rd year GNM and ANM students.

Sample size:

In the present study, the sample size comprised of 60 students of GNM and ANM .

Sampling technique:

The sample for the present study was drawn by non-probability purposive sampling technique.

Description of the tool:

Tools prepared by the present study is a structured questionnaire divided into two sections-

Section 1: Demographic data

Section 2: Structured knowledge questionnaire

The data collection was done in month of march 2015. During this period the investigator gave a tool to the 3rd year GNM and ANM students . First the researcher introduced himself and the study topic. Researcher then explained about the consent to the participants and assured the confidentiality of the data, explained how to fill the answers in the sheet. All participants willingly participated in the study.

Plan for data analysis

The collected data is analyzed in terms of the objectives of study using descriptive and inferential statistics:

1. The data will be coded and entered in excel sheet.

2. Analysis will be done by using descriptive and inferential statistics.

3. Demographic and personal data was described in frequency and percentage.

4. Manual as well instant statistical software will be used for all statistical analysis.

Analysis of demographic variables:

This section deals with the analysis of data related to the demographic variables. It reveals that 65% of nursing students were in the age group of 18-22 years, whereas 28% lies in the age group of 23-30 years and there were only 7% nursing students who lying in age group of 31-40 years. With regard to religion, 93 % of the nursing students belong to Hindu. Meanwhile, the second major group 3% belongs to Muslims and other religion followed by 3% each. The study also revealed that 85% of nursing students were unmarried and 15% of them were married. In context of educational status 83% of nursing students had 10+2 qualification and 17% of them had graduate. With regard to type of family 70 % had nuclear family and 30 % had joint family. It was thus inferred that across the samples, majority of the nursing students belong to 20- 30 years 39 (65%), Hindu religion 56 (94%) and majority of marital status were single. Maximum number of nursing students was not exposed to mass media (65%) only few were exposed to (35%) to mass media.

Section 2:

This section deals with the analysis and interpretation of data revealed with level of knowledge related to breast self-examination among the subjects .The study revealed that majority of nursing students 48.3 % (29) had good knowledge regarding breast self-examination and among them 41.7 % (25) had average knowledge and only 10% (6) had below average knowledge regarding breast self-examination Figure 1.

Figure 1: The analysis and interpretation of data.

Section 3:

Table 1

Table 1: Breast self-examination among the scholars.

There is no correlation seen between breast self-examination among the scholars and therefore the variables like age, education standing, legal status, style of family, faith at the amount of significance of zero.05 that's five.99.

The discussion highlights the most findings of this study and the way those findings compare with findings from similar studies conducted on the topic of carcinoma and breast self-examination. During these current nursing students 48.3 % (29) had good knowledge regarding breast self-examination and among them 41.7 % (25) had average knowledge and only 10 % (6) had below average knowledge regarding breast self-examination. This finding of low awareness and knowledge of BSE is analogous but lower compared to the findings in Nigeria5 during which 97% reported ever hearing of BSE and only about 50% reported adequate knowledge of BSE. It’s also almost like a finding of poor knowledge of BSE in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria where 70% of 603 market women, that's women buying and selling various commodities within the market, reported not knowing about and the way to perform BSE. Earlier studies reported similar poor knowledge of BSE. [5,6]

Implications:

Nursing services:

Breast self-examination is one among the vital parts of a women’s health, and it's found that there as several factors that have an effect on health. A nurse with decent information associated with breast selfexamination is going to be able to offer far better care to her patients. Creating use of agencies like steerage, counseling, mass-media, sensible education, cluster activities, seminars, displays which can facilitate a nurse to enhance nurse’s information relating to breast selfexamination and with a brand-new confidence she will be able to offer a top quality care to her patients.

Nursing education:

Nursing program is being revised sporadically supported the wants of the society and therefore the profession. Associate in nursing awareness of breast self-examination and problems can be enclosed within the basic program of student nurses because it might facilitate them to arrange for the longer term. Awareness relating to carcinoma program and vanity improvement program etc. got to be emphasized inside the program and short courses on these as typically conducted Faculty authorities got to take initiative and responsibility in beginning such program in their establishments.

Nurse administration:

Nurse Directors will take active role in build up a positive selfworth in student nurses. Social support from co-workers ought to be sustained at the present levels. Larger attention has to be directed to not solely acknowledging nurses’ information relating to breast self-examination however conjointly to produce a mechanism that promotes header. It's within the best interests of each party to require affordable steps to boost information of nurses associated with carcinoma that successively would end in quality shopper care.

Nursing research:

Research could be a crucial tool for the continual development of a relevant body of {information} in nursing, and it generates information from nursing investigations that facilitate outline the distinctive role of nursing as a profession. Future analysis will broaden the scope of the present results and supply a lot of comprehensive understanding of nurses' quality of life. Researchers are often done by incorporating interventions to enhance awareness associated with carcinoma and procedure for breast self-examination among student nurses.

• The study was conducted on a smaller sample size.

• The study has concerned sample solely finding out in R.P Inderaprastha Institute of Medical Sciences.

Recommendation for any studies:

• An analogous study is often conducted on an oversized scale cluster.

• A comparative study is often conducted to find the changes within the level of data student nurses with the expertise gained.

• A descriptive study is often conducted to seek out the factors touching information relating to breast self-examination of the scholars.