Regression Analysis of Determinants of Breast Self-Examination and Practices Among Midwifery Students in a Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Abstract

Globally, women are exposed to various forms of breast diseases, of which breast cancer poses a serious, devastating state of ill health. Efforts to control breast cancer focus on early detection through periodic breast examination for early diagnosis. This study assessed the Regression analysis of determinants of Breast Self-Examination and practices among 209 midwifery students at Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted using mixed methods for data collection. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, logistic regression and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that 61.0% students practiced BSE, and 66.0% of them opined that BSE enables the detection of breast abnormalities such as discharges and lumps. While students’ barriers to consistent BSE were: poor knowledge about BSE (48.0%), lack of time (60.0%), and privacy (48.0%) in practicing BSE. Furthermore, exercise (OR = 1.844, p < 0.05) and family history of cancer (OR = 1.572, p < 0.05) significantly decreases the odd to practice BSE among students. This study concluded that students expressed reduction in breast cancer anxiety with mean = 2.51, std = 0.705, which explained a better understanding of BSE (mean = 2.61; std dev. = 0.623), while some perceived BSE as an effective means of early detection of breast cancers. We recommended that BSE practices should be given a high priority by students’ midwives, as they are major health educators to females and women in the communities.