BREAST SELF- EXAMINATION PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH UNITS IN PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES IN NEKEMTE TOWN, EAST WOLLEGA, OROMIA REGION, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT       

Background: Breast self-examination serves as a critical, cost-effective strategy for early detection of breast cancer, the second most prevalent malignancy among women globally. In Ethiopia, where access to mammography is limited, breast self-examination remains a critical screening tool. This study addresses critical evidence gaps regarding Breast self-examination practices in western Ethiopia.

Objectives: To assess Breast self-examination practice and associated factors among women attending public health facilities in Nekemte town, western Ethiopia, in 2025.

Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2025 across four public health facilities in Nekemte. Using systematic random sampling with proportional allocation Data were collected through pretested interviewer-administered questionnaires adapted from validated tools, 418 women attending maternal-child health services were enrolled (99.8% response rate). Analysis included bivariate logistic regression (p<0.25 entry threshold) and multivariable modeling with verification of assumptions: Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit (p=0.658), variance inflation factors <10, and 86.1% classification accuracy.

Result: Breast self-examination practice prevalence was 26.3% (95% CI: 22.3 – 30.7), with only 20% (22/110) demonstrating             good Breast self-examination practice. Significant predictors included: history of breast affliction (AOR=4.43; 95%CI: 1.27-15.45), high perceived susceptibility (AOR=10.20; 95%CI: 1.87-55.61), adequate knowledge (AOR=3.68; 95%CI: 1.09-12.38), and high barriers (AOR=0.25; 95%CI: 0.07-0.90).

Conclusion: The findings reveal critically low Breast self-examination uptake in Nekemte, primarily constrained by knowledge gaps and perceptual barriers. Recommended interventions include: facility-based Breast self-examination training programs, community awareness movements, and integration of BSE education into routine health services. These evidence-based strategies could strengthen Ethiopia's national cancer control efforts in resource-limited settings..

Keywords: Breast cancer, breast self-examination, early detection, screening practices, Ethiopia, Health Belief Model