Evaluation of Knowledge and Attitudes towards Breast Self-examination among Female Secondary School Students

Background: Breast cancer (BC) remains a major global health concern with significant consequences for women’s health. Purpose: Given the scarcity of evidence focusing on adolescents in Jordan, this study examines the knowledge and attitudes toward Breast Selfexamination (BSE) among secondary school female students. Methods: A cross-sectional design using convenience sampling was employed to recruit 330 female secondary school students in northern Jordan. Results: The findings revealed that while most students (68.8%) reported some awareness of BC, the overall knowledge was low, with a mean score of 4.7 out of 21, indicating substantial gaps in understanding. Only a small proportion correctly identified key BC risk factors, warning signs, and appropriate BSE practices. Attitude scores reflected a moderate positive attitude toward BSE (mean score = 25.18 out of 60). Regression analysis showed that significant predictors of knowledge included sources of information, family history of BC, and the degree of kinship to the affected relative. Attitudes were significantly associated with father’s education level and family relationship to the affected family member, but not with the overall knowledge scores. Conclusion: This study provides novel evidence highlighting critical deficiencies in BC and BSE knowledge among Jordanian adolescents, with family-related factors emerging as important predictors of both knowledge and attitudes. Implications for Nursing: As one of the first studies to focus on secondary school girls in Jordan, the findings underscore the pivotal role of school and community health nurses in delivering culturally appropriate education, involving families to reinforce positive attitudes, and advocating for the Breast Self-Examination Knowledge in Students - 2 - integration of BC and BSE content into school curricula. Nursing-led educational interventions during adolescence may strengthen early detection behaviors and contribute to improved long-term community health outcomes. Keywords: BC, Breast self-examination, Knowledge, Attitudes, Secondary school female students.