THE AWARENESS AND PRACTICE OF BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION (BSE) AMONG FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SELANGOR, MALAYSIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.25/no.2/art.2880Abstract
Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide and in Malaysia, has an escalating incidence, underscoring the critical importance of early detection through breast self-examination (BSE) to enhance survival rates. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness and practice of BSE among female university students in Selangor, Malaysia. Conducted over five months, a cross-sectional study gathered data from 359 female university students aged 18-30 years, utilizing snowball and convenience sampling methods. Data were collected using a validated and structured online questionnaire. The findings revealed that only 32.9% of respondents were aware of and effectively practiced BSE, with 38.7% lacking awareness and engagement, and 28.4% being aware but not practicing. Although respondents demonstrated high awareness of breast cancer symptoms (55.7%) and treatment (56.8%), a notable majority exhibited low awareness of risk factors (49.9%) and BSE knowledge (52.6%). Among those with low awareness, 40.11% did not perform BSE, while 12.53% did. In contrast, among those with moderate awareness, 23.4% performed BSE, while 15.04% did not. Remarkably, among respondents with high awareness, 5.01% engage in BSE, surpassing the 3.90% who do not, highlighting a discrepancy between awareness and practice. This study highlights a concerning gap between awareness and practice attitudes regarding breast self-examination (BSE) among female university students in Selangor, Malaysia. A significant portion of the participants exhibited low awareness and practice of BSE despite high awareness of breast cancer symptoms and treatment. This indicates a critical need for targeted interventions to bridge this disparity and improve breast health outcomes in this demographic.
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