Data collection tools and procedure

The data were collected by a structured questionnaire which was adapted and modified after reviewing and extracting from different pieces of literature developed for the same purpose (11). The tool has four sections: the first contains items for personal information or sociodemographic components, the second contains items for assessing female health professionals’ knowledge, the third contains items for assessing female health professionals’ attitude toward breast self-examination, and the fourth section contains items for determining breast self-examination practice.

Two hospitals from Harari regional state were identified for this study. Female health professionals were selected from each hospital and the total sample size was met by a simple random sampling method based on proportional allocation done for both hospitals. A structured and English version of the questionnaire was distributed to all female health professionals who have filled the consent by their will. Two BSc nurses were assigned per each hospital and from different hospitals other than the hospitals in which the study was conducted and one supervisor who is a BSc holder in Nursing was assigned per each hospital.