Effectiveness of online education in teaching breast self- examination.

BACKGROUND

This research evaluated the effectiveness of an online education model in teaching breast self- examination to university staff and students.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

1,679 women participated in a breast self-examination online training program. Breast self-examination knowledge evaluation forms developed by Maurer (1997) were used in the research and were evaluated on a 100 point scale. Paired t-test and McNemar's Test statistics were employed.

RESULTS

The participants scored an average of 46.5 (14.0%) on knowledge on breast self-examination before training, but 77.4 (11.0%) one month after education and 76.7 (9.52%) after six months. There was a clear significant difference between these knowledge levels (p<0.05). Similarly, while the rate for systematic practice of breast self-examination among women was 30.8% before training it increased to 47.8% afterwards. Again the difference was significant (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Online education is an effective method for teaching breast self-examination to women.