الفهرس 
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Abstract
Breast cancer ranks as one of the major health problems of women. Specifically it is the most common type of cancer in middle aged women as well as the leading type of cancer causing mortality. The only demonstrably valid method for reducing breast cancer mortality is early detection and prompt treatment of the disease. (59) The aim of this study is development and appraisal of the effect of health education program about early detection of breast cancer on knowledge and practice of the nurses as well as recognition of their role in public education about this disease. A sample of 52 nurse s was studied from five Maternal and Child Health Centres in Alexandria namely .A1 Gomrok, Wady Al-Kamar, Al-Laban, Kom Al-Shokafa and Al-Kabbary. The nurses included in this study represent three groups: Group I: includes )0 nurses graduates of Secondary Technical School of Nursing. Group II includes 8 nurses having post graduate diploma in Nursing. Group III includes 14 midwives who have certificate in obstetrics and midwifery and studied 18 months in general nursing . The Health education program was implemented in the nursing offices in the MCH Centres. The teaching IOOthods utilized in the program were lectures, demonstration and group discussion. The audio-visual materials used were posters, pamphlets and books. Base-line data were collected using interview questionnaire for assessment of nurses knowledge about cancer in general as well as breast cancer in specific. Usa the list included assessment of practice of BSE and the role of the nurse in pUblic education about early detection of breast cancer (pre-test). The same test was administered one month after the inservice education program (post-test). A pilot study was done on 8 nurses to test the applicability of the questionnaire before its used and some modifications were made. The health education-program consisted of four sessions each of two hours. The session consisted of a lecture for one hour followed by demonstrat ion and discussion. The program contents include firstly general knowledge about cancer regarding definition, modes of spread, seven warning signals, the known common causes for some type of cancer and general methods of treat~nt. Secondly, knowledge about breast disorders: epidemiology of breast cancer, signs and symptoms of benign as well as malignant breast diseases and the benefits and methods of early detection of the disease. Thirdly, the role of the nurse in public educa tion as regards early detection and prompt treatment of the disease. In the last session emphasis was laid on breast self examination as an important tool for early detection. Also the program includes orientation about the services available in Alexandria for early detection of breast cancer. The study yielded the following results: 1. It was noticed that nurses knowledge about cancer and breast cancer as well as its early detection was lacking. This was due to insufficient information recieved about the subject in the nursing schools both during undergraduate and post-grad uate courses. 2. The implemented health education program succeeded in improving and increasing the knowledge of the majori ty of the nurses as shown in the pre and post test. It was observed that the nurses graduates of Secondary Technical School of Nursing as well as nurses with diploma in nursing gained more knowledge than the nurse midwives. J. The health education program succeeded to make most of the nurses realize the importance of early det ection of breast cancer (i.e only 3.85 gave positive answers in the pre-test and 75 in the post test) .