An Educational Intervention and Feasibility Assessment of Breast Ultrasound in Rural South Africa

Purpose Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, with a strikingly high mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as a result of the scarcity of detection, diagnosis, and treatment. With mammography unavailable, ultrasound (US) offers a viable alternative. The literature reports successful training in various domains, but a curriculum focused on the breast is novel. We assessed the feasibility—knowledge acquisition, perceived utility, and self-efficacy—of a breast US training program for the detection of breast cancer by nonphysician providers.Methods Training was implemented for 12 providers, including professional nurses, nursing assistants, and lay counselors, at Hlokomela clinic in Hoedspruit, South Africa, over 3 weeks. Didactic presentations and example cases were followed by a presurvey (n = 12) that characterized providers’ initial attitudes toward early detection and a pretest (n = 12) that determined immediate retention of knowledge and areas for focused training. All providers received hands-on training with nurses as models. Five providers trained with patients. A post-test (n = 12) assessed overall knowledge retention and acquisition, and a postsurvey (n = 10) gauged program acceptance and provider self-efficacy with breast US.Results Pretest to post-test averages improved by 68% overall and in four competencies—foundational knowledge, descriptive categories, benign versus malignant, and lesion identification. On the postsurvey, providers expressed the belief that US could significantly affect breast cancer detection (9.1/10), treatment (7.9/10), and survival (8.7/10) in their communities and endorsed moderate confidence in their scanning (6.3/10) and interpreting abilities (5.6/10).Conclusion There is a pressing need for a paradigm shift in breast cancer care in LMICs, with early detection critical to improving outcomes. Our research supports the feasibility of breast US training as part of a breast education program in LMICs. Pretest and post-test results and observed proficiency indicate that training nonphysician providers is achievable. Postsurvey responses indicate program acceptance, provider self-efficacy with US, and community-based ownership of a breast cancer screening and awareness initiative. Follow-up work that is focused on quality improvement and sustainability is ongoing. Future work may show that breast US is viable for early detection when mammography is unavailable.AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . Susan C. Harvey Consulting or Advisory Role: IBM Watson, Hologic Inc Research Funding: IBM Watson