Using a community-based outreach program to improve breast health awareness among women in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based health education program via a mobile van to promote the awareness of breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) practice among women in Hong Kong.


METHODS
One group pretest/posttest design. SAMPLE AND MEASUREMENTS: Seven hundred and seventy-seven women in Hong Kong completed a self-administered questionnaire before and after a breast health education program from May 2002 to March 2003.


RESULTS
About half were aware of breast health and breast diseases (53.7%) and breast screening methods (48.6%) before the intervention. It was found that women who had received instruction on BSE practice, and those who were aware of breast screening methods, breast health, and breast diseases were more likely to have had prior BSE practice. Most indicated their willingness to practice BSE regularly (93.3%) and to pass on the BSE knowledge to their relatives and friends (92%) in the posttest.


CONCLUSIONS
The outreach health education program has successfully reached women living in the 18 districts in Hong Kong. It appears to be useful in raising the awareness of breast health and BSE practice among the women, but longer term follow-up is required to ascertain its sustainability.
Chan
Sophia S C
SS
Department of Nursing Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. nssophia@hkucc.hku.hk
Chow
Denise M K
DM
Loh
Edith K Y
EK
Wong
David C N
DC
Cheng
Karis K F
KK
Fung
Wendy Y C
WY
Cheung
Polly S Y
PS
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology