The Impact of a Randomized Community-Based Intervention on the Awareness of Women Residing in Lebanon Toward Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, and Intimate Hygiene.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Women's health represents an integral component of public health. With breast cancer being the first worldwide and cervical cancer the fourth most common cancer among women, and while habits of intimate hygiene remain mediocre, it is crucial to address these issues. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a community-based intervention on the knowledge and preventive measures (K&P) of women toward breast cancer, cervical cancer, and intimate hygiene.

METHODS

This longitudinal multicentric prospective interventional study was conducted on women residing in Lebanon aged 18-83 years old. The awareness sessions took place either in person or online to address these three topics, covering the eight governorates of Lebanon. Our sample included women both from the general population and from Order of Malta Lebanon (OML)'s centers and mobile medical units. A stratified randomized sampling method was implemented using age and governorates. Women were interviewed before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the awareness session. The K&P score and the improvement post-intervention were represented in a function of all the study variables. A ˂ 0.05 was found statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 657 women, with the majority being nonsmokers and having a bachelor's degree as their highest level of education, completed surveys before and after the intervention, showcasing a significant overall K&P mean score improvement of 50.48% in the pre- vs. post-test (an average score of 22.01 ± 5.95 over 38 (57.93% of correct answers) vs. 33.12 ± 3.41 over 38 (89.58% of correct answers), respectively, < 0.001). A significant difference was also noted between pre- and post-test ( < 0.001) in each of the three topics individually, with improvements of 52.39% for breast cancer, 60.00% for cervical cancer, and 22.27% for intimate hygiene.

CONCLUSIONS

National awareness campaigns are key to shedding light on breast and cervical cancer matters and improving women's reproductive health and intimate hygiene in Lebanon. Addressing the knowledge gaps and promoting early screening and healthy habits through national public health policies can empower women to protect their health and well-being.