PRACTICES RELATED TO THE PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER AND THE ROLE OF ACTIVE INFORMATION-SEEKING AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS AT TRA VINH UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the proportion of female students at Tra Vinh University, Vietnam, who engaged in appropriate practices towards breast cancer prevention and early detection, and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional descriptive study
was conducted with 371 female students at Tra Vinh University using a structured questionnaire. Data collection took place from October 2023 to September 2024 in 12 schools of Tra Vinh University. Results showed that only 16.4% of the students reported engaging in correct practices. A statistically significant association was found between students’ engagement in seeking information about breast cancer and their preventive practices (p < 0.05). Students who actively sought out information were more likely to engage in correct practices compared to their counterparts.