The Effects of Breast Health Education in Women with Breast Cancer

In this study, we investigated effects of breast health education on knowledge, selfefficacy, resilience, and meaning and purpose in life of women with breast cancer (WWBC) in Korea.

A total of 41 participants joined the study. A breast health education was provided for 24 hours over the course of two weeks to the treatment group in 2014. Data were collected using selfreported questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS 22. Gamma generalized linear model with log link was used to analyze between-group differences.

The participants’ mean (SD) age was 51.56(5.37), and 46.3% of them had stage II breast cancer. The baseline homogeneity was found in all variables except education, employment, and meaning and purpose in life before the education program. After breast health education, the levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, resilience, and meaning and purpose in life of the treatment group increased significantly compared with those of the control group (p<0.01). The scores of knowledge & self-efficacy about breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE), resilience, and meaning and purpose of life in the treatment group were 33.2%, 49.4%, 30.8%, 10.7% higher than those in the control group respectively. The breast health education was helpful improving knowledge and self-efficacy regarding breast cancer and BSE, resilience, and meaning and purpose in life. This study highlights that narratives of WWBC in addition to self-efficacy theory can be integrated to develop effective nursing intervention for empowerment of WWBC.

We recommend oncology professionals utilize this education program for WWBC. Further studies need to be conducted to determine whether similar programs would be effective for people with other disease.