Effect of Peer Education on fatalism of Breast Cancer

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. The fatalism of breast cancer, as a hygienic opinion, can impede the performance of breast cancer screening among women. Consequently, women are deprived of early diagnosis based on this belief. One of the methods of changing fatalism is peer education. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of peer education on fatalism of breast cancer among women. Methods: This study was a clinical trial. Women (n=100) attending the selected health centers of Isfahan city were classified randomly into two groups: peer and individual education. The peer education group was selected from the health intermediaries working. The educational content was presented to peer group during two sessions and they transfer the teachings to women. Fatalism was assessed through structured questioners. The data was analyzed by SPSS software.Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in education level and family background (P> 0/05). The results showed that the mean of the fatalism breast cancer reduced significantly in both groups after the intervention (P˂ 0/05). However, there was no significant difference in the mean of score change regarding fatalism between two groups (P> 0/05).Conclusion: The current study indicated that the use of peer education, similar to individual education, can result in the appropriate change the fatalism of breast cancer among women. It seems that using the educational intervention can be useful to promote the screening behaviors of breast cancer.

Keywords:

Breast Cancer , Fatalism , Peer Education