Evaluation of a student-led breast cancer awareness campaign as a co-curricular model in pharmacy education: a mixed-methods study in the UAE

BACKGROUND: Experiential learning in pharmacy education fosters professional competencies through real-world engagement. Despite the high burden of breast cancer in the UAE, adolescents are an under-targeted group in awareness campaigns. Additionally, pharmacy curricula rarely incorporate student-led education initiatives. This study evaluated a student-led breast cancer awareness campaign to explore its educational impact on pharmacy students and short-term knowledge gains among adolescent girls. METHODS: This mixed-methods study, conducted in Dubai, included a qualitative component (two focus groups with 16 final-year pharmacy students) and a quantitative component using a single-group pre-post design with 87 female secondary school students. Thematic analysis guided by the Kirkpatrick Model evaluated training outcomes based on participants' reactions, learning gains, behavioural changes, and broader results. The quantitative phase assessed knowledge gains among 87 female secondary school students using pre- and post-intervention surveys. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used in the data analysis. RESULTS: Across Kirkpatrick levels, pharmacy students reported strong engagement with the campaign and meaningful experiential learning outcomes, particularly in health communication, advocacy, and professional identity development. Quantitatively, total knowledge scores among school participants increased from 41.7 ± 15.2 to 67.6 ± 15.7 (p < 0.001). At the domain level, mean absolute percentage-point gains were + 31.0 for breast-cancer signs, + 23.6 for risk-factor knowledge, and + 34.8 for screening concepts, indicating consistent improvements across domains. Overall, willingness to seek medical help for breast changes increased following the intervention. CONCLUSION: The student-led awareness campaign was associated with measurable short-term improvements in breast cancer knowledge among adolescents and meaningful experiential learning outcomes for pharmacy students. Delivered as a co-curricular activity, the initiative illustrates a practical model for integrating student-led health education into pharmacy curricula to enhance advocacy and experiential learning.