The Effectiveness of Breast Self-Examination (BSE) Training on Skill Improvement among Nursing Mothers: A Comparative Study of Intervention and Control Groups in Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed the impact of a Breast Self-Examination (BSE) training program on the skill nursing mothers in Osun State, Nigeria. A two-group quasi-experimental design was employed, with 74 participants in the experimental group and 69 in the control group. Socio-demographic data revealed similarities across both groups in terms of age, parity, religion, and education. Pre-intervention, both groups had poor BSE skills. Post-intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements, with 82.4% of participants acquiring good skills. In contrast, the control group showed no improvement, maintaining poor skills. The mean scores for the experimental group increased significantly from 4.52 ± 1.00 pre-intervention to 14.03 ± 1.08 post-intervention (mean difference: +9.51), while the control group's mean score only slightly increased from 4.43 ± 1.00 to 4.52 ± 0.95 (mean difference: +0.09). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the groups post-intervention (t = 55.784, p < 0.05), with a large effect size (Cohen’s D = 9.336). These results suggest that structured BSE training can effectively improve breast health practices among nursing mothers. However, cultural barriers, lack of time, and inadequate healthcare access may still limit the widespread adoption of BSE. This study confirms the importance of integrating such educational programs into routine maternal care to empower nursing mothers in early breast cancer detection.