Prevalence of Breast Self‐Examination and Associated Factors Among Female Nursing and Midwifery Trainees in Gushegu Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Breast cancer poses a significant global public health challenge. While breast self‐examination (BSE) is a valuable tool for early detection, a notable gap exists in the literature regarding its practice among nursing and midwifery students. This study sought to identify the factors predicting BSE knowledge and practice among female students at the Gushegu Nursing and Midwifery Training College in Ghana. Methods A quantitative cross‐sectional study was conducted with 135 nursing students. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, and a multistage sampling technique was employed. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, with descriptive and inferential statistics used to determine associations. A p ‐value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The study found that most participants were aware of breast cancer (94.9%), with media serving as the primary source of information (38%). A high percentage of students (95.6%) were knowledgeable about BSE, and 65.2% demonstrated good procedural knowledge. Notably, 71.5% of the respondents reported practicing BSE. The strongest predictors of BSE practice were: being a registered midwife trainee (AOR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.015–0.443), engaging in physical exercise (AOR = 16.7, 95% CI: 2.43–114.9), and having a family history of breast cancer (AOR = 6.54, 95% CI: 0.42–101.1). Other significant predictors included awareness of breast cancer, awareness of BSE, perceived importance, and learning about BSE from professional sources. Conclusion The findings suggest that most nursing and midwifery students in this study possess good knowledge of and actively practice BSE. However, the results underscore the need for targeted educational interventions to reinforce proper BSE frequency and technique to further improve breast cancer early detection efforts.