BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION PRACTICE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES ATTENDING A SELECTED PRIVATE INSTITUTION IN OGUN STATE

Despite the high prevalence of breast cancer and its risk factors worldwide, several studies conducted in different countries reveal a poor or low practice of Breast Self-Examination (BSE) and investigated possible associated factors such as knowledge of BSE, attitude towards BSE, age, perception of BSE practice, confidence in BSE and information sources. The main objective of this study is to assess breast self-examination practice and its associated factors among female undergraduate students attending a selected private institution in Ogun State. A quantitative research was employed in this study using a descriptive cross-sectional research design method. Systematic sampling was used to select 422 female undergraduates from three different female halls in a private institution in Ogun state. The research instrument was a self-structured questionnaire which yielded a reliability coefficient of BSE practice and factors associated with BSE of 0.831and 0.821. The data collected were subjected to descriptive analysis of frequency count, percentages, mean, standard deviation and samples t-test using SPSS version 21. Inferences were made at the p =0.000. Results showed that the majority of respondents were aged 16-20 years, 87.7% were Christians, 15.4% were of School of public health, 48.3% were Yoruba and 47.6% were of 400 level, sources of information obtained about BSE from the internet were 45.3%. However, The proportion of respondents having a good practice of breast self-examination was found to be 51.2%. The results of the research showed that there is a significant relationship between breast self-examination practice and its associated factors among female undergraduates attending Babcock University Ilisan-remoBabcock University Ogun State (p =0.000).