BACKGROUND: Women of all races and ethnicities are at risk for breast cancer and cervical cancer. These types of cancer have remained major public health issues across the world.
PURPOSE: To study the effect of educational program about breast and cervical cancer on knowledge, attitude and practice of working women in Benha University.
DESIGN: Quasi experimental design. The tools of data collection were assessment questionnaire sheet, modified likert scale and an observation checklist
SETTING: The study was conducted at faculties of Benha University. Studied faculties were faculty of Science, Veterinary Medicine, Law, Nursing, Commerce, and Agriculture.
SUBJECTS: 260 working women at Benha University, randomly selected, under the following inclusion criteria, age from 20 to 59 years, do not have a history of breast or cervical cancer, not under the treatment of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
RESULTS: The mean age of the studied women, was 37.22 ± 11.00 years. There was general improvement of knowledge and attitude about breast and cervical cancer of the studied women during the different assessment periods as compared to before program with highly statistically significant difference at p-values (< 0.001). After program implementation the practices of breast self examination relatively increased (57.3%) among the studied women meanwhile minimal effect on screening rates of clinical breast examination and Pap smear test (11.2%), (5.0%) respectively and screening mammogram remained the same as the pre program. There was a positive highly statistical significant correlation (< 0.001) between total knowledge and attitude scores as well as total knowledge and practice scores at different times of assessment.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDEDATIONS: The implementation of educational program led to significant improvements in women's knowledge and attitude toward breast and cervical cancer and breast self examination practice. Provide women with simple information (through brochures and booklets) that can assist in decreasing barriers and clarifying any misconceptions about breast and cervical cancer screening, provide women with health care services appropriate to them for improving their breast and cervical cancer screening practices, and development of a national breast and cervical cancer early detection program in Egypt.
Keywords: breast cancer, cervical cancer, knowledge attitude and practice.
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