|
Low-fidelity simulation versus multimedia education on breast cancer awareness and breast self-examination self-efficacy among working women: A three-arm randomized clinical trial with one-month follow-up
|
Fariba Maleki   , Sharareh Zeighami Mohammadi * , Neda Haghighi Khoshkhoo |
| Clinical Cares and Health Promotion Research Center, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran , zeighamimohammadi@iau.ac.ir |
|
|
Abstract: (33 Views) |
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and in many middle-income countries, limited access to organized screening programs underscores the need for low-cost, effective educational strategies. Breast cancer awareness and self-efficacy in breast self-examination (BSE) are two key components of early detection. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of low-fidelity simulation-based education and multimedia education on breast cancer awareness and BSE self-efficacy among working women.
Methods: This randomized, three-arm, parallel clinical trial with repeated measurements was conducted among female staff of Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch (aged 25–50 years) in 2025. Participants were randomly allocated by block randomization into three groups: low-fidelity simulation, multimedia, and control (with final sample sizes of 28, 26, and 28, respectively). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, a breast cancer awareness scale (which assessed warning signs, risk factors, high-risk age, and BSE behavior), and a BSE self-efficacy questionnaire. Outcomes were measured at three time points: baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis's test, chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests, linear mixed models, and generalized estimating equations (GEE), with a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: At baseline, the three groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics and initial levels of awareness and self-efficacy. Following the intervention, both the simulation and multimedia groups showed a significant increase in awareness of warning signs, risk factors, and high-risk age for breast cancer, as well as in BSE self-efficacy, compared with the control group (p<0.001). Improvements were consistently greater in the simulation group than in the multimedia group, and higher levels of awareness and self-efficacy in the simulation group were maintained at the one-month follow-up, whereas no significant change was observed in the control group.
Conclusion: Both low-fidelity simulation and multimedia education effectively improved breast cancer awareness and BSE self-efficacy among working women, with simulation demonstrating a stronger and more sustained effect. Integrating low-cost simulation workshops with structured multimedia packages may serve as an efficient strategy in women’s health promotion programs and staff empowerment initiatives in workplace settings. |
|
| Keywords: Working women, Breast neoplasms, Breast self-examination, Health education, Simulation training, Multimedia, Self-efficacy |
|
|
|
Type of Study: Community Health Nursing |
Subject:
nursing
Received: 2025/11/29 | Accepted: 2026/01/30 | Published: 2025/12/31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send email to the article author |
|
|
|
| Add your comments about this article |
|
|
|
