Evaluation of effectiveness of teaching module intervention on breast cancer awareness among the female students: A randomized controlled trial

Currently, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, having surpassed cervical cancer. According to Indian Council of Medical Research 2023, breast cancer accounts for approximately 27.7 percent of all female cancers in the country. It is associated with a mortality rate of 13.7 deaths per 1,00,000 women, and in the year 2022 alone, a total of 1,92,020 women in India died due to breast cancer. Despite its growing prevalence, awareness remains alarmingly low.

Diagnosis at advanced stages of disease contributes to the high mortality rate among women due to breast cancer. Breast cancer is a preventable cancer if detected early enough. The early detection of breast cancer not only increases the chances of successful treatment but also improves chances of survival. Globally, breast self examination, clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography are the recommended screening test for early detection of breast cancer. Clinical breast examination and mammography require hospital visit and specialized instrument or technical expertise.

Studies reveal that nearly 81 percent of rural women could not name even a single symptom of breast cancer. Approximately 85.1 percent had never heard of Breast Self Examination and none practiced it monthly.

This highlights the need for structured teaching modules to promote breast cancer awareness and encourage early detection behavior among women. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational intervention in improving breast cancer awareness among female college students, with the goal of reducing diagnostic delays and lowering mortality rates.