scholarly journals Increasing breast cancer awareness and breast examination practices among women through health education and capacity building of primary healthcare providers: a pre-post intervention study in low socioeconomic area of Mumbai, India

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e045424
Author(s):  
Ranjan Kumar Prusty ◽  
Shahina Begum ◽  
Anushree Patil ◽  
D D Naik ◽  
Sharmila Pimple ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to improve breast cancer (BC) awareness and practices using Information, Education and Communication (IEC) modules and health educational sessions for women and primary healthcare providers in low socioeconomic community of Mumbai.DesignPre-post quasi-experimental design.SettingThe study was conducted in a lower socioeconomic area of G-South ward of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The baseline and endline survey was conducted using structured interview schedules.Participants410 women were selected, aged between 18 and 55 years who were not pregnant, lactating or diagnosed with BC.InterventionA health education-based intervention module was developed to educate women through group and individual sessions.OutcomesSummative indices were constructed to understand the net mean difference in knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test were used to check the significant improvement of intervention.ResultsOur results showed statistical significance in difference in mean knowledge scores for both signs and symptoms (mean difference (MD) 4.09, SD 4.05, p<0.00)) and risk factors of BC knowledge (MD 5.64, SD 4.00, p<0.00) among women after intervention. There was a marked improvement in the knowledge of BC among women with low education category. A significant improvement in knowledge of symptoms and risk factors among health workers was also observed. Our interventions resulted in positive change in breast examination practices. The breast self-examination (BSE) practices improved from around 3% to 65% and around 41% additional women went for clinical breast examination after intervention.ConclusionsThis study found a significant improvement in knowledge of BC signs and symptoms, risk factors and BSE practices among study participants following our health education interventions among these subpopulations. This evidence calls for inclusion of similar interventions through health education and capacity building of primary healthcare providers in national programmes.

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 135s-135s ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Ntacyabukura

Background and context: Over 250,000 new pediatric cancer cases are diagnosed yearly worldwide. Health care providers (mainly nurses) at health centers (HC) level are the children´s first opportunity for correctly recognizing and responding to early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers by appropriately referring them to district hospitals but studies show that 83% of nurses did not receive training on pediatric cancers. Insufficient knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms of pediatric cancer usually leads to improper diagnosis or delay to diagnosis and hence loss of many lives of these children. After realizing that majority in our community lack information on childhood cancers, our efforts since 2017 has been concentrated on training primary healthcare providers to recognize early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers. Aim: Improve survival of children with cancer by early detection of symptoms and signs and prompt referral by nurses at health centers. Strategy/Tactics: The program is consisted of trainings in selected regions of Rwanda. The first step is a “train the trainer workshop” where volunteering medical students and doctors are trained to train the nurses and community health workers. A two days workshop is organized subsequently in each province bringing together at least with one nurse from each selected health center. These trained nurses go back with materials to train their colleagues. They are followed up every three months with a survey to assess how much they retain the learned knowledge and the impact made. Prior to trainings, RCCR and pediatric oncologists develop training materials that include training curriculum for both the trainers and for the trainees (nurses), educational and awareness material (posters, fliers, brochures). Trained nurses are kept in RCCR database for their follow-up and track any case of a childhood cancer at their health facilities. Program/Policy process: The program is run in 4 phases, Phase 1: Develop training materials materials Phase 2: Recruitment and train the trainer phase Phase 3: Selection of health center and recruitment of healthcare providers Phase 4: The execution phase. Trainings are carried out in selected health centers. Phase 5: Post training follow-up. Outcomes: In 2017, the program was conducted in 4 health centers and around 90 health care providers were trained with more than 800 posters, 950 brochures and 300 flyers distributed. According to reports, after the training, the number of referrals from health centers increased and the posttraining showed how accurate nurses were in stating their differential diagnoses. What was learned: Childhood cancers are curable when detected and treated early, there is a need to build strong partnerships with private and public sectors to address the challenge of early detection and late presentation at the hospital because the program of training primary healthcare providers showed a good impact.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidan Zheng ◽  
Kali Godbee ◽  
Genevieve Z. Steiner ◽  
Gail Daylight ◽  
Carolyn Ee ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of this paper was to assess Australian primary healthcare providers’ perspectives and knowledge about dementia risk factors and risk reduction.MethodsPrimary healthcare providers were recruited through Primary Health Networks across Australia (N = 51). Participants completed an online survey that consisted of fixed-response and free-text components to assess their knowledge, attitudes and current practices relating to dementia risk factors and risk reduction techniques.ResultsThe survey results showed that over 85% of participants agree that quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, increasing social activity, and treating diabetes can help to reduce the risk of developing dementia. The top suggestions for dementia risk reduction by Australian primary healthcare providers included living a healthy lifestyle (36%), managing cardiovascular risk (17%), and cognitive stimulation (14%). The primary barriers identified for working with patients to reduce dementia risk included low patient motivation and healthcare system level limitations. The most common recommendations were increasing resources and improving dementia awareness and messaging.ConclusionsCollaborative efforts between researchers, media, clinicians, and policy makers are likely needed to support the uptake of risk reduction activities into primary care settings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Lidan Zheng ◽  
Kali Godbee ◽  
Genevieve Z. Steiner ◽  
Gail Daylight ◽  
Carolyn Ee ◽  
...  

This study examined Australian primary healthcare providers’ knowledge about dementia risk factors and risk reduction and their perspectives on barriers and enablers to risk reduction in practice. Primary healthcare providers were recruited through Primary Health Networks across Australia (n=51). Participants completed an online survey that consisted of fixed-responses and free-text components to assess their knowledge, attitudes and current practices relating to dementia risk factors and risk reduction techniques. The results showed that Australian primary healthcare providers have good knowledge about the modifiable risk factors for dementia; however, face several barriers to working with patients to reduce dementia risk. Commonly reported barriers included low patient motivation and healthcare system level limitations. The most commonly reported recommendations to helping primary healthcare providers to work with patients to reduce dementia risk included increasing resources and improving dementia awareness and messaging. While the results need to be interpreted in the context of the limitations of this study, we conclude that collaborative efforts between researchers, clinicians, policy makers and the media are needed to support the uptake of risk reduction activities in primary care settings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Karin A. Stanzel ◽  
Karin Hammarberg ◽  
Jane Fisher

Health behaviour during midlife is linked to health outcomes in older age. Primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) are ideally placed to provide health-promoting information opportunistically to women in midlife. The aim of this study was to explore PHCPs views about the menopause-related care needs of migrant women from low- and middle-income countries and what they perceive as barriers and enablers for providing this. Of the 139 PHCPs who responded to an anonymous online survey, less than one-third (29.9%) routinely offered menopause-related information during consultations with migrant women. Most agreed that short appointments times (70.8%), lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate menopause information (82.5%) and lack of confidence in providing menopause-related care (32.5%) are barriers for providing comprehensive menopause-related care to migrant women. To overcome these, a menopause-specific Medicare item number and a one-stop website with health information in community languages were suggested. These findings suggest that menopause-related care is not routinely offered by PHCPs to migrant women from low- and middle- income countries and that their capacity to do this may be improved with adequate educational and structural support.


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