Providing Information About Breast Cancer Via Public Forums

PB Patel MS^a, SP Patel BSc^b, S-P Patel BSc^a, KP Patel^a, LP Patel^a

^aSuper specialty Clinics, Shiv Shraddha Nursing Home Shahibaug, Ahmedabad 380004, Chennai, ^bShree Ramchandra Medical College and Research Indtitute, Porur, Chennai, India

AIM: Purpose of study was to examine effect on people who attended a breast cancer education program or received printed materials. METHOD: Participants were 200 college students, were primarily female, with a mean age of 23.5. They completed a 15-item knowledge questionnaire on four occasions before, immediately after program, 9 weeks, and 6 months after program. On the third and fourth occasion, participants also were asked how they had used the information. Tests revealed that lay individuals (p < 0.001) exhibited improved knowledge of breast cancer after attending the program, used the information in their personal health care, and shared it with others, and some implemented education and screening programs. Of nonattendees, only the health professional group retained knowledge gain over time. A conference can produce increased knowledge about breast cancer and stimulate attendees to use information for themselves and share it with others. RESULT: For laypersons, conference attendance is superior (p < 0.01) to written materials alone, in achieving long-term gain in knowledge. Conference attendance follow by written material give better result. CONCLUSIONS: Conference attendance follow by written material give better result.

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Nice, France; February 7 - 10, 2004; in poster session 1096 (Risk & assessment).