The detection of information level and practice state of breast cancer and breast self-examination 3. and 4. class female students of departments except for the health in Afyon Kocatepe University

SUMMARYThis study was conducted with the aim of determining and measuring the status of the application level of knowledge about breast cancer (Breast Ca) and breast self-examination (BSE) by 3th and 4th female students studying outside the health related department at Afyon Kocatepe University.Research data which was developed in accordance with the literature was collected by being applied with 43 item questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, the level of knowledge about breast Ca of the participants, the level of knowledge and practice of participant about BSE.The research sample comprised n=200 female students. It was found that the average of students who participated in this research 22,28 (SS= 1,59); % 59,3 (n = 118) Social Sciences students and % 40,7 (n = 82) students of Natural Sciences students involved in this research.It was determined that 59% of the students participating in the study knew that ?the risk of breast Ca increases with increasing age?, % 66,7 of them ?If you have breast Ca in one breast, it increases the possibility in the other breast?, % 79,4 of them ?If you have a member in your family having breast Ca, the risk of you increases?, % 62 of them ?If women consume alcohol, the risk of breast Ca increases?, % 71 of them ? If women smoke, the risk of breast Ca does too?. And some questions were answered ?I don?t know? % 54,5 of the students don?t know whether ?the age of first birth? increases the risk of breast Ca, % 52 of them ? the age of menstruation?, % 51,3 of them ?the age of menapose?, % 48 of them ?overweight? and % 53,8 of them ?using of the contraceptive pills?.It was determined that % 88 of the students participating in this study know the mass in the breast, % 51,3 of them know ?the breast is orange peel appearance?, % 51,3 of them ?coming bloody discharge from the nipple?. % 56 of the students 65participating in this study answered ?I don?t know? of nipple depression/withdrawell, % 46 of them ?Idon?t know? color charging in the breast?, % 58 of them ?I don?t know? taking skin of the breast?.65% of the students participating in the survey stated that they know doing BSE; % 28,5 of them reported that they know implementing and the ?right time? 5-7 days after mensturation.As a result of the research; it was determined that students participating in the research didn?t have adequate knowledge about the breast Ca risk factors, the breast Ca symptoms and BSE.Key Words: breast cancer, the risk factors of breast cancer, the symptoms breast cancer, breast self-examination.