Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India

Background and Aims: Globally, breast cancer is one of the major public health problem. In Indian women, breast cancer is now the most common cancer, having recently overtaken cervical cancer in this respect. Breast Cancer though on the rise among Indian women, they still do not perceive themselves...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Farjana Memon, Deepak Saxena, Tapasvi Puwar, Shyamsundar Raithatha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=12;spage=3881;epage=3886;aulast=Memon
_version_ 1819063825528258560
author Farjana Memon
Deepak Saxena
Tapasvi Puwar
Shyamsundar Raithatha
author_facet Farjana Memon
Deepak Saxena
Tapasvi Puwar
Shyamsundar Raithatha
author_sort Farjana Memon
collection DOAJ
description Background and Aims: Globally, breast cancer is one of the major public health problem. In Indian women, breast cancer is now the most common cancer, having recently overtaken cervical cancer in this respect. Breast Cancer though on the rise among Indian women, they still do not perceive themselves at risk. Poor awareness about the disease, its risk factors and the absence of population-based screening contribute to delayed diagnosis. The aim of this study is to assess knowledge and practice of breast cancer in general and breast self-examination (BSE) amongst urban accredited social health activist in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Methods: The study was conducted in three phases: pre-intervention phase, intervention phase, and post-intervention phase during 2018. A total of 104 ASHA participants were included and awareness about breast cancer and practices of breast self-examination was assessed through interviewing two different groups at two points of time: Control and Intervention group at the base line and end line. Interventional breast health education was administrated through lectures, charts and silicon breast model for the basic knowledge of the breast cancer. The data had been analyzed by using software Epi info. Results: There was a significant improvement in knowledge regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination among the intervention group from pre- to post-test. An overall increase in the awareness of breast cancer 33%, Method of doing BSE of 54% and 42% of BSE practice was observed in the study group after intervention. Conclusion: A significant changes were observed in the knowledge. However, the behavior change requires reinforced training in regular interval.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T15:20:50Z
format Article
id doaj.art-537caab6158047709a095e8d79fa6c3b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2249-4863
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T15:20:50Z
publishDate 2019-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
spelling doaj.art-537caab6158047709a095e8d79fa6c3b2022-12-21T18:59:03ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632019-01-018123881388610.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_544_19Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad IndiaFarjana MemonDeepak SaxenaTapasvi PuwarShyamsundar RaithathaBackground and Aims: Globally, breast cancer is one of the major public health problem. In Indian women, breast cancer is now the most common cancer, having recently overtaken cervical cancer in this respect. Breast Cancer though on the rise among Indian women, they still do not perceive themselves at risk. Poor awareness about the disease, its risk factors and the absence of population-based screening contribute to delayed diagnosis. The aim of this study is to assess knowledge and practice of breast cancer in general and breast self-examination (BSE) amongst urban accredited social health activist in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Methods: The study was conducted in three phases: pre-intervention phase, intervention phase, and post-intervention phase during 2018. A total of 104 ASHA participants were included and awareness about breast cancer and practices of breast self-examination was assessed through interviewing two different groups at two points of time: Control and Intervention group at the base line and end line. Interventional breast health education was administrated through lectures, charts and silicon breast model for the basic knowledge of the breast cancer. The data had been analyzed by using software Epi info. Results: There was a significant improvement in knowledge regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination among the intervention group from pre- to post-test. An overall increase in the awareness of breast cancer 33%, Method of doing BSE of 54% and 42% of BSE practice was observed in the study group after intervention. Conclusion: A significant changes were observed in the knowledge. However, the behavior change requires reinforced training in regular interval.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=12;spage=3881;epage=3886;aulast=Memonbreast cancerbreast self-examination practicesbreast self-examination
spellingShingle Farjana Memon
Deepak Saxena
Tapasvi Puwar
Shyamsundar Raithatha
Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
breast cancer
breast self-examination practices
breast self-examination
title Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
title_full Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
title_fullStr Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
title_full_unstemmed Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
title_short Can urban Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area: Experience from Ahmedabad India
title_sort can urban accredited social health activist asha be change agent for breast cancer awareness in urban area experience from ahmedabad india
topic breast cancer
breast self-examination practices
breast self-examination
url http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=12;spage=3881;epage=3886;aulast=Memon
work_keys_str_mv AT farjanamemon canurbanaccreditedsocialhealthactivistashabechangeagentforbreastcancerawarenessinurbanareaexperiencefromahmedabadindia
AT deepaksaxena canurbanaccreditedsocialhealthactivistashabechangeagentforbreastcancerawarenessinurbanareaexperiencefromahmedabadindia
AT tapasvipuwar canurbanaccreditedsocialhealthactivistashabechangeagentforbreastcancerawarenessinurbanareaexperiencefromahmedabadindia
AT shyamsundarraithatha canurbanaccreditedsocialhealthactivistashabechangeagentforbreastcancerawarenessinurbanareaexperiencefromahmedabadindia