Investigating the effect of mobile learning on breast self-examination in women referring to comprehensive health centers in Mahabad City, Iran.

Background: A monthly breast examination is one of the early diagnostic strategies for detecting breast cancer (BC). This study's primary goal was to investigate the role of phone-based training in encouraging breast self-examination (BSE) in an Iranian population.

Materials and methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design in which the experimental and control groups were followed up to assess the effects of a BSE training program. A total of 128 women aged 30-69 referring to comprehensive health centers in Mahabad City (West Azerbaijan Province) were selected using random cluster sampling. Then, the subjects were randomly divided into two groups: the intervention and the control (n = 64 per group). Data collection tools included a standard BSE questionnaire encompassing the knowledge, attitude, and performance dimensions. The women in the experimental group received phone-based training through social media. Data analysis was performed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 software using the independent t-test, paired t-test, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 95% confidence limit.

Results: The results showed that the main between-group effect and the effect of time on knowledge, attitude, and performance were statistically significant. The interactive effect of group × time on knowledge, attitude, and performance was significant, comparing pretest vs. posttest and pretest vs. follow-up (P < 0.001 for both). Multivariate ANCOVA (MANOVA) revealed that the significance level of Wilks' lambda was smaller than 0.01, indicating a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of the distribution of the dependent variable (i.e. awareness, attitude, and performance).

Conclusion: Due to the rapid increase in mobile health as an effective tool for health interventions and management, it is necessary for policymakers to pay special attention to it for cancer awareness and screening.