Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40866957›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of breast self-examination among female university students in three Arab countries: a multi-center cross-sectional study.

Aliaa Gamal, Sara Adel Awwad, Abdallfatah Abdallfatah, Ahmed Adel Abdel Azim, Waleed Alhayek, Hagar Elgamal, Sarah Saleh Omar, Noura Waleed Koura, Abdelrahman Sameh Soliman, Abdelazeez Ahmed Masoud and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Aliaa GamalClinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Minia, Egypt. aliaa.gamal@deraya.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7508-4120
Sara Adel AwwadFaculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9159-2731
Abdallfatah AbdallfatahFaculty of Medicine, October 6 University, Cairo, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-2055-9134
Ahmed Adel Abdel AzimFaculty of medicine, Assiut university, Assiut, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8914-0791
Waleed AlhayekFaculty of Medicine, Latakia University, Latakia, Syria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1864-4629
Hagar ElgamalPublic Administration of Dental Health, Health Affairs Directorate Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2236-1272
Sarah Saleh OmarFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Aden University, Aden, Yemen.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-8002-6923
Noura Waleed KouraFaulty of Medicine, Kafr El-sheik University, Kafr El-sheik, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-8156-5180
Abdelrahman Sameh SolimanFaulty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-3944-7712
Abdelazeez Ahmed MasoudFaulty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-7267-1961
Obai YousefFaculty of Medicine, Tartous University, Tartous, Syria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-5832-3780
Mohamed AbouzidDepartment of Physical Pharmacy and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3 St, Poznan, 60-806, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8917-671X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast Cancer (BC) is a significant leading cause of death among women. With an estimated 2.1 million new cases annually, it represents the most prevalent malignancy affecting women worldwide. The early detection of diseases plays a pivotal role in reducing morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and awareness of early BC detection among female university students.

methodsWe conducted a multi-national, multi-center, cross-sectional study among a convenience sample of female undergraduate Arab medical students in three countries. A web-based questionnaire was distributed among the students in Arabic and English.

resultsThe total number of participants was 1361 (431 from Egypt (32%), 430 from Jordan (32%), and 500 from Syria (37%)). Almost half of the participants showed poor knowledge regarding both risk factors and clinical features of BC (52.5%). The mean scores for knowledge of early detection measures were 59.9% in Egypt, 69.2% in Jordan, and 75.2% in Syria. Regarding knowledge and attitude toward breast self-examination (BSE), the proportion of students with adequate awareness was 16.4%, 17.4%, and 26.8% for Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, respectively. A significant proportion of students had heard about BSE (72.74%), and more than half knew the recommended frequency (62.12%). However, only 33.15% of students regularly performed the BSE at least once every month. Furthermore, a predominant factor contributing to students' non-compliance with the BSE was their lack of knowledge regarding the proper technique (41.92%). The most predictive factor for the practice of BSE was a family history of BC, and the least predictive factor was knowledge level. Mammogram was the most commonly recognized breast cancer screening method, among students (82%), and social media was the most common source for acquiring knowledge on BC and BSE (38%).

conclusionThe study showed a lack of knowledge and awareness among students, highlighting the need for comprehensive educational interventions and training programs within university curricula. These measures are essential for enhancing the understanding of BC and promoting the adoption of BSE practices.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsBreast Self-ExaminationHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeStudentsStudents, MedicalAdultCross-Sectional StudiesEgyptFemaleHumansJordanSurveys and QuestionnairesSyriaUniversitiesYoung AdultAttitudeAwarenessBreast CancerKnowledgeUniversity students

Identifiers

PMID40866957
PMCPMC12382118

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.