From Being Unaware to Be Informed: Evaluating Changes in Breast Cancer Awareness After Educational Program Intervention: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Educational programs and awareness campaigns have recently been implemented in Saudi Arabia to enhance women’s knowledge and awareness about breast cancer (BC) screening and diagnosis.
Aim: This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitudes of women regarding breast cancer screening before and after an educational lecture.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conduسثcted by pre- and post-testing their knowledge through a structured written questionnaire, it was conducted on a randomly selected women aged 20 to 60 years at high schools in Alhasa- Saudi Arabia. An educational lecture was presented to them for one hour to raise their knowledge level about BC. All data was collected and then extracted to be analyzed with SPSS program version 27.0.
Results: From total 100 women as participants, most participants were aged 40–49 and highly educated, with limited prior awareness and moderate baseline knowledge. Recognition of breast cancer signs and risk factors varied, with strong awareness of hereditary risks but weaker understanding of lifestyle-related factors. Screening practices showed inconsistencies, particularly regarding mammography frequency and appropriate age. After the educational intervention, significant improvements were observed in overall knowledge, risk-factor awareness, confidence, and behavioral intentions. Statistical analysis confirmed highly significant gains across most domains, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness (p<0.05). Conclusion: Educational lectures and the awareness supporting programs can enhance ethe women’s knowledge about BC screening and diagnosis in Saudi Arabia.