Mahdie Zangiabadi Zade - instructor, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery of Islamic Azad University Kerman branch

Introduction: The incidence of Breast Cancer in Iranian women continues to raise, Breast self -examination (BSE) is the only way in access for early diagnosis and control of Breast Cancer in its primary levels but most of women don t perform BSE on a consistent monthly.Method: In this intervention quasi- experimental study, 112 students from two schools of dentistry and management of Shiraz University of medical sciences were selected randomly and were allocated in two groups. They were taken a pre-test and two post-tests. Data gathering tool was a questionnaire made by researcher including general information and demographic data of modules under investigation Awareness test, includes 10 categories questions, Anxious, Subjective and Inclination includes 6 questions. Two to three subjects were selected as peer education group and then trained. Students of first group were trained by peers and students in the second group were instructed by health care personnel separately. At the end of educational sessions, the first post-test, and after 6 weeks, the second post -test were taken. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test and independent t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and factor analysis test.Results: There was a significant difference between the mean score in Awareness about breast self -Examinations technique, basic information of Breast Cancer and Anxious in the group trained by peers was higher than the one educated by health care personnel, immediately after education (respectively: p<0.05 ,p<0.001). But no significant difference was observed between the mean score for alternations in subjective and inclination toward training between two groups immediately after education (respectively: p=0.08, p=0.05) The significant difference between the mean score for alternations in Awareness about breast self-Examinations technique, basic information of Breast Cancer was continued 6 weeks after intervention(p<0.05) and this significant difference between mean score for alternation in Inclination toward training was also higher in peer education group(p<0.05) whereas no significant difference was observed between mean scores for alternations in Anxious and Subjective of two groups, 6 weeks after education(respectively: p=0.12 , p=0.054).Conclusion: Since the efficacy of education of BSE by peers was found to be more effective than teaching by health personnel to reduce anxious and increase Awareness and Inclination to education Breast self -Examination. It is recommended to employ this educational method more, especially in adolescent and youth training breast self-examination.

Education, Breast self-examination, Awareness, Anxious, Subjective, Inclination toward training, peers, Health care personnel