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Abstract
The rate of breast cancer is growing in the world, especially in Asian countries. There is a need to increase the level of knowledge among women to recognize it in the early stages. This study tried to determine the effectiveness of the use of educational breast cancer smartphone application in increasing knowledge and breast self-examination practices among female students. We comprised two phases including developing an educational application and also evaluation of educational protocol through a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The first phase was based on qualitative approach and the second phase of study was for selection of participants. Baseline data were collected from 144 female students (72 intervention group and 72 control group). The research instruments including knowledge, practice, health belief and technology acceptance were adapted and adopted based on literature review, content and face validity. Data were collected at baseline, one month, three months and six months after intervention for both groups. It was shown that the effect of intervention on knowledge of breast cancer in pre, post-test and follow up tests was significant and the level of knowledge in intervention group was increased after using the application.
Keywords: Breast, cancer, application, female, student
Introduction
Breast cancer affects more than 1.3 million women worldwide each year and accounts for about 14% of cancer-related deaths (1). In Saudi Arabia, breast cancer is considered to be one of the most common causes of cancer-related death among women (2). A total of 6,922 female breast cancer cases were recorded in the Saudi Cancer Registry from 2001 to 2008. As well, by the Saudi Health Council in 2015 showed that breast cancer accounted for 30.1% of all the cancer types diagnosed in women. The incidence of breast cancer had increased over the past decades and it is expected to rise substantially in the coming years (3). Hence, breast cancer will remain a considerable health burden.
Estimating cancer burden based on morbidity and mortality is necessary to prioritize cancer control. Delaying the early stages of breast cancer may lead to poor treatments outcome, leading to low survival rates and also increasing the cost of drugs and treatment (4). It is widely accepted that interventions to increase adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines among women could contribute...