Is Peer Education Effective in Raising Awareness of Gynecological Cancers?

Aim: The aim of this study is to raise awareness of gynecological cancers in university students via peer education and lead to behavioral changes to that effect.Method: This study is a quasi-experimental study.As peer educators, 10 students have reached a total of 90 university students.Peer educators administered the questionnaire, which descriptive characteristics form and behavioral changes of their peers prior to the education, along with the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Scale (GCAS), one week prior to the education.Peer educators re-administered the questionnaire, which determines the behavioral changes, along with the GCAS, one week after the education, and then again one month after the education.The analysis of the data was used Friedman test between the mean GCAS scores of the students prior to the education, one week and one mounth after the education.Results: It is seen that the average JIKFÖ score of the students who received training from peer educators was 151.17+ 18.54 before the education and 180.77+16.66after one week of the education.The average JIKFÖ score of the students 1 month after the education is 179.14+20.96.A statistically significant difference was found among the mean scores of JIKFI before, one week after the education, and one month after the education (Fr.70,833, sig: 0.000).Conclusion: It was concluded as result of the study that the students maintained their GCAS scores and that a behavioral change have occurred in the students.