Predictor of Breast Self-Examination and Breast Cancer Risk Perception among Female Students of WCU, Using Health Belief Model

Background: Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is a primary screening technique to detect breast abnormalities. By performing regular breast self-examination, women would become familiar with their breasts condition so as to enable them to detect any changes from time to time. BSE must be routinely performed by an individual female from young. This is because breast cancer can be developed at the very age of twenty. This study was aimed to assess the predictor of breast self-examination and breast cancer risk perception among female students of WCU, by using health belief model. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in Wachamo University female students, Hossana, Ethiopia. Data collection tool is an anonymous valid and reliable questionnaire, which acquired information about the factors affecting predictor of breast self-examination and breast cancer risk perception. The data was entered in Epi data V-3.1 and analysed using SPSS version 21. Binary logistic regression analysis was also employed to examine association between dependent and independent variables. P-value of <0.05 was considered as cut off point for significance. Results: A total of 441 study subjects participated in this study making response rate of 99.3 % with mean age of the study population was 21 years. 98 % of the participants were single and 38% were protestant religion followers. Most of them 92.3% ever heard about breast cancer and 43.3% of the participants ever heard about BSE. The main source of information on breast cancer and BSE were media 74.1%. The overall knowledge of the students about breast self-examination was 61%. Good knowledge on BSE and breast cancer risk perception 5.01[2.13, 11.18], facing of breast discomfort 3.04[1.07, 9], family history of breast cancer 6.32[1.08, 14.95], high perceived susceptibility 2.5[1.2, 6.09], high perceived severity were 3.3[1.01, 8.65]) were independent predictors of breast self-examination among female Wachemo University students. Conclusions and Recommendation: In this study breast self-examination among female Wachemo University students so comes to be 39.2% which is lower than other studies even if there is some similar figures were there. Intervenes should have to be needed by designing and carrying out to enhance the skills and efficacy of the female students regarding self-examinations of their breasts. Governmental organization should have to scale up breast screening service as one of the packages from youth friendly service because it’s long-term consequence serious.