Visual Breast Self-Examination Education in Illiterate Women

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women and remains a major public health concern despite being largely preventable through early detection and regular screening practices. Increasing early detection rates depends on women's ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, perform regular breast self-examination (BSE), and maintain adequate health motivation. However, women who are illiterate and reside in rural areas generally have low levels of breast cancer awareness, which adversely affects early detection behaviors. This situation is associated with insufficient knowledge, misconceptions, limited access to healthcare services, and low health literacy. Previous studies have demonstrated that educational interventions supported by visual materials are effective in improving health awareness among individuals with low educational attainment. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the limited literature by evaluating an intervention designed to improve breast cancer awareness among women with low literacy levels.

The study is designed for illiterate women of reproductive age (15-49 years) living in rural areas. Participants will receive breast self-examination (BSE) education using visual materials. The educational content will include breast anatomy, signs and symptoms of breast cancer, the importance of early detection, and the correct steps for performing breast self-examination. Pictures, breast models, videos, and hands-on demonstration techniques will be used throughout the educational sessions. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using a pretest-posttest design by comparing changes in breast cancer awareness and health motivation before and after the educational program. The research process will include a literature review, development of educational materials, implementation of the intervention, data collection, and statistical analysis, with the principal investigator actively involved in all phases of the study.

The study is expected to improve participants' ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, increase the frequency of breast self-examination, and enhance their health motivation. Furthermore, the findings are expected to support the development of community-based health education skills among midwifery students, encourage their active participation in preventive healthcare services, and strengthen their involvement in scientific research. The results may also provide evidence for planning educational programs targeting women with low educational attainment and contribute to the development of visual material-based educational strategies. Ultimately, the study is anticipated to increase women's awareness of their own health responsibilities, promote early detection behaviors, improve quality of life, and indirectly contribute to reducing breast cancer-related mortality.