Worldwide breast cancer is on of the leading cause of mortality among women. It is well documented that early detection of breast cancer is accompanied with a better prognosis as regards treatment and survival time. Unfortunately, the early diagnostic procedures are limited in developing countries due to many barriers such as poverty, educational and cultural obstacles. This study was conducted to assess knowledge attitude and practices of 126 young female employees (45 years) about breast self-examination (BSE) in Assiut. An educational training progmm concerned with BSE was applied after testing their knowledge about BSE and breast cancer. Reevaluation of their knowledge and attitude was done immediately after the program (posttest I) and • for another time after one month (posttest m. The results showed that knowledge, attitude and practice ofBSE improved markedly after the program (p

A cross-section community based study was designed to study 616 currently married women of reproductive age in a relatively rapid developing village (Elwan Village), Assiut District, Assiut Governorate. Systematic random sample was conducted using a pre-designed questionnaire to study the reproductive behaviors among different socia-economic status and factors, which may affect contraceptive use. Another aim was to compare the family planning (FP) use and socioeconomic indicators with a previous study conducted in the same village in 1991 by Labeeb, 1994. According to Fahmy and El Sherbini scoring ' (1993): 63%. 29.5% and 7.5% belonged to low, middle and high SES respectively. FP knowledge was very high (99%), also the current use rate (50.9%) and ever users (62%) were high. The mean numbers of pregnancies and living children • were (5.28±2.85) and (4.02±2.16) and four FP methods were known on the average. Wives started FP use at an early age with small number of living children and mainly for spacing. IUDs (7 1.3%) and pills (19.7%) were the most commonly used methods and most of wives knew pills, IUDs and injectables spontaneously. Mass media (95.3%) and relatives (54.1%) were the main sources of knowledge. By using Multiple Regression Model, age of starting FP use, number of living children, duration of marriage and FP knowledge were the significant predictors of FP ever uses. By comparing the current study with the previous study conducted by Labeeb (1994), the economic development (sanitation and electric appliance) was much more than social development as education. The FP use increased from 29.4% to 50.9% (98.3% increase). Therefore, socioeconomic improvements were found to have significant effects on reproductive profile.

This case study was designed to identify strategies for helth education to prevent the transmission of hepatitis C virus in Egypt at the community level. Epidemiology research in the study area, and elsewhere in Egypt, had indicated that unsafe injection and' instrument use by health staff appeared likely to transmit HCV. This paper describes a pilot program to target health providers at government primary care facilities. The objectives of the program were I) to increase health providers, knowledge of hepatitis, especially HeV; 2) to utilize this knowledge to ensure safe practices in the primary health care setting and 3) to enable providers to respond to the needs of patents and community members. Formative research identified provider's knowledge of HeV, and observede practices in the health centers. Doctors Nurses, technicians and custodian, as well as regional Ministry of Health and population staff participated in information and training workshops, in which messages and posters developed. In response to provider's requests, and with their collaboration, simble booklets on HeV and on sterilization for use by doctors and nurses in primary health care settings were developed and tested. Activities were monitored and evaluated, and recommendations were made for a viable, sustainable program of health aducation for health providers that could be further tested on the district level. The experience of the researchers at the community level, and in primary health care units, also provides front line workers in other countries with insights that may contribute to health promotion in their own local settings.