Impact of Health Education on Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Self-Breast Examination among Physiotherapy Students

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Early detection plays a crucial role in improving survival outcomes, especially in low-resource settings. Self-breast examination (SBE) is a simple, cost-effective method for early detection; however, inadequate knowledge and unfavourable attitudes toward SBE limit its regular practice among young women. Objectives: To assess the impact of health education on knowledge and attitude regarding self-breast examination among physiotherapy students. Materials and Methods: An interventional study was conducted among 160 physiotherapy students at a physiotherapy college attached to B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad. Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method. Baseline data on socio-demographic profile, knowledge, and attitude regarding self-breast examination were collected using a predesigned and structured questionnaire. Following baseline assessment, a structured health education intervention was delivered through lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and demonstrations on SBE. Post-intervention data were collected using the same questionnaire. Knowledge and attitude scores before and after the intervention were compared using paired Student’s t-test, with p <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: At baseline, the majority of students (61.8%) had poor knowledge regarding self-breast examination. Following the educational intervention, there was a marked improvement in knowledge levels, with a substantial increase in students demonstrating good knowledge (29.3%). Attitude toward SBE also showed improvement after the intervention. Mean knowledge scores increased from 2.18 ± 1.10 to 4.87 ± 1.33, and mean attitude scores increased from 3.41 ± 1.68 to 5.39 ± 1.46. The improvement in both knowledge and attitude scores was statistically highly significant (p <0.001). Conclusion: Health education interventions are effective in significantly improving knowledge and attitude regarding self-breast examination among physiotherapy students. Incorporating regular educational programs on SBE in health-professional training curricula may contribute to early detection and improved breast cancer outcomes. Key words: Self-breast examination; Breast cancer; Health education; Knowledge; Attitude; Physiotherapy students