Assessment of Women’s Learning Needs and Preferences in the Development of a Smartphone Application for Breast Self-examination

Background and Aim: Breast self-examination is a recommended screening method that can be used by any woman at any age. Smartphone applications can be a low-cost and effective strategy to prevent breast cancer by changing behavior and encouraging women to be aware of their breast health. The purpose of this research is to determine the learning needs and preferences of women in the development of a BSE smartphone application. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023, The statistical population of the study included 120 women working in the faculties of Urmia University of Medical Sciences, who were selected through stratified proportional sampling. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed, the validity of which was confirmed based on the content validity method and expert opinion. The test-retest method was also used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, which resulted in a Pearson correlation coefficient of 85%. The rating of each item in the questionnaire was determined based on a five-point Likert scale (1-5). The Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software. Results: From the perspective of women, the most important learning needs are related to breast cancer risk factors (4.68), the importance of early detection of breast cancer (4.33), how to perform breast self-examination (4.38), the role of breast self-examination in breast cancer prevention (4.18), ways to detect breast cancer early (4.11), types of physical activities (4.16) and healthy diet (4.08) related to breast cancer prevention. In terms of the technical capabilities of the application, the most important features include multimedia educational content (4.61), self-examination training (4.52), information about warning signs (4.33), self-examination time reminder (4.29) and ease of use (4.20). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that educational content should present risk factors and the role of diet and physical activity in preventing breast cancer, and teach how to accurately perform breast self-examination with multimedia content. Also, the technical capabilities of the smartphone application should be designed in a way that suits women’s learning needs while maintaining the confidentiality of information and the privacy of individuals.