Awareness of Breast Self-Examination among Female Community Health Volunteers of Pokhara.

BACKGROUND: Breast self-examination is a simple, inexpensive and effective method of examining the breast by woman herself after 20 years of age in order to detect a breast lump in the early stage. Women should have this knowledge for early detection and treatment of breast cancer. So, the present study aimed to assess awareness of female community health volunteers regarding breast self-examination and the effect of a teaching program. METHODS: One group pre-test post-test study was conducted among 145 female community health volunteers selected from eight wards of Pokhara Metropolitan using convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 27 March to 23 April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Before intervention, around two third of respondents (67.6%) had inadequate and only 1.4% had adequate level of awareness. But after the intervention, 68.3% had adequate level of awareness. The post-test mean awareness score (23.87 ± 4.7) was higher than pre-test mean awareness score (12.97 ± 3.93). Test of significance revealed that increment in the awareness due to a structured teaching program was highly significant (p <0 .001). This study also found that there was difference in the mean pretest awareness score according to educational level of the respondents only. Based on the mean score, the score was significantly higher among women with higher level of education (p=<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Around two thirds of female community health volunteers have inadequate level of awareness regarding breast self-examination before the intervention. Educational intervention program was found to be effective in improving their awareness.

Anxiety, Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies among the Nepalese Nurses Working around the World During a Corona Virus Disease -19 Outbreak.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are the frontline health professional of healthcare delivery system prone to have psychosocial problems. This study aimed to explore anxiety, stress and coping strategies among the Nepalese Nurses working around the World during a corona virus disease -19 Outbreak. METHODS: A web based cross sectional study was conducted for a period of three month among 240 nurses from Nepal and working abroad. They were invited to participate via various web based networks. Anxiety Self rating scale, perceived stress Scale and coping strategies were used for data collection. Chisquare, spearman rho and Manwhitnney was used for data analysis. RESULTS: More than half 58.8% were <30 years of age,mean age was 31±7.29 ,range was 20-56 years.Only17.5%were having Mild to Extreme Anxiety and, 62.5% Nepalese nurses were having stress. Regarding coping strategies mean score is higher in positive reframing followed by acceptance.There was significant association between stress and demographic variables marital status and country.Nepalese Nurses working in Nepal were having more anxiety and stress mean score than Nepalese nurses working abroad. CONCLUSIONS: Nepalese nurses working in Nepal were having more anxiety and stress mean score than Nepalese nurses working in abroad. Mean score of coping strategies was higher in avoidant coping (Maladaptive coping) in nurses working in Nepal whereas mean score is higher in Approach coping (Adaptive coping) in Nepalese nurses working abroad.