Breast Cancer awareness interventions to enhance awareness among people

In this article, 22 articles were reviewed. In community and healthcare settings, multiple interventions based on theory and language has been performed as an educational interventions. Although, outcomes of most of the interventions in relation to breast cancer screening uptake, knowledge, and beliefs were positive but due to the   diversity in the participants, research designs, intervention strategies, and outcome measures the findings can be limited to  some extent .

Read here: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7795851/

Breast Cancer continues  to be  the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women globally . Early detection ,diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are key to better outcomes . Since many women will discover a breast cancer symptoms themselves , it is important that they are breast cancer aware ,i.e. have a knowledge ,skills , and confidence to detect breast changes and present promptly to a healthcare professionals .

          RCTs (Randomized Controlled  Trial) focusing on interventions for raising women's breast cancer symptoms and confidence to look and feel their breasts . The need to create awareness among breast cancer disease through health education is of great importance in order to improve women health and save lives is also significant if there going to be drastic reduction in the incidence of breast cancer in the future .Awareness enlightenment programmes should be carried out regularly to educate both men and women to be breast aware . Government and non -government organizations should make significant awareness breast cancer by sponsoring health talks, workshops targeted at relevant segments of population .It is a known fact that an individual success in any endeavour requires times ,support and encouragement . 

REFERENCES :- 

//pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28185268/

//files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1078866.pdf

To raise the awareness among people there are many interventions that can be delivered at an individual and a community level. Face to face interaction meeting of a target population with a healthcare professional after intervention is administered on being recruited to the study whereas on a community level delivering intervention without any specific population and addressing on a mass level using breast care and early scanning IEC material (such as pamphlets, booklets, and flipchart), video and audio lectures etc. 

Interventions can also be delivered by taking lecture for groups of women that features stories of survivors and dissemination of educational materials in the study. Also, recruitment of women as health physicians, health educators and nurses is essential to interact more and deliver interventions efficaciously.

References:
1. //bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/4/e045424
2. //files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1078866.pdf.

October is internationally recognized as breast cancer awareness month with a pink ribbon as a symbol. Since breast cancer is becoming more common among women, early detection, diagnosis and treatment becomes vital.

Basic steps to be taken to build awareness among women are:

• To share facts and statistics about the prevalence and risk factors of the disease.
• Educate ourselves and others about the screening and self-examination.
• Flyers should be informative, and their reach should be extensive.
• Adequate funds should encourage more research in this field.
• Mobile mammography van service to provide on-the-spot screening should be made available to cut down travel expenses.
• Remainder letters or calls from nearby health centers should be a regular feature.
• To know the family history of breast cancer.
• Longer you breast-feed, the greater protection from breast cancer.
• Employee programs, classes, seminars and competitions to be held at workplace on breast cancer team.
• Awareness run or walk.

Randomized Controlled trials (RCTs) has the potential to increase women’s breast cancer awareness.

Promoting Early Presentation (PEP) intervention is through a written booklet with one-to-one verbal discussion and usual care to improve knowledge about breast cancer and how early detection will keep the risk at bay.

Publicly funded mammographic screening can dramatically reduce breast cancer mortality, but they are not feasible in resource-limited country. A study indicated that Saudi teachers' level of knowledge on breast cancer was not adequate. So effective health education programs and screening will bring awareness among them.

2021 Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) theme is “Buddying up with one another”, as no one can fight cancer alone. Many hospitals have switched over their focus on covid-19 patients and put the screening procedures on hold. Some alternative measures should be taken so that regular screenings are continued.

Genuine fund-raising programs should be organized for the cause of breast cancer awareness.

Citation

1. Kisuya J, Wachira J, Busakhala N, Naanyu V, Chite AF, Omenge O, Otieno G, Keter A, Mwangi A, Inui T. Impact of an educational intervention on breast cancer knowledge in western Kenya. Health Educ Res. 2015 Oct;30(5):786-96. doi: 10.1093/her/cyv043. Epub 2015 Sep 3. PMID: 26336906.

2. Ashareef B, Yaseen W, Jawa W, Barnawe Y, Alshehri W, Alqethami H, Bukari W, Alqumaili O. Breast Cancer Awareness among Female School Teachers in Saudi Arabia: A Population Based Survey. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2020 Feb 1;21(2):337-342. doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.2.337. PMID: 32102508; PMCID: PMC7332133.

3. O'Mahony  M, Comber  H, Fitzgerald  T, Corrigan  MA, Fitzgerald  E, Grunfeld  EA, Flynn  MG, Hegarty  J. Interventions for raising breast cancer awareness in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD011396. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011396.pub2. Accessed 15 October 2021.

The outcome of breast cancer treatment largely depends on the timing of detection. The health promotion interventions have an immense contribution to early detection and improved survival. Therefore, this review aimed to provide evidence on the efficacy of the health promotion interventions to increase the uptake of breast cancer screening and to develop effective interventions targeting women.

Methods:

A quality coding system was assessed using Cochrane checklists for randomized controlled trial (RCT) and Downs and Black checklists for non-RCT. The score was rated for the included articles by each researcher independently and the average score is given accordingly.

Citation:

//pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29351597/