Assessing the Effect of Health Education on Knowledge of Breast and Cervical Cancer Among Secondary School Girls in Southeastern Nigeria

Introduction: Breast and cervical cancers are major public health concerns in Nigeria, contributing substantially to cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Low awareness contributes to late presentation and poor outcomes. Adolescence presents an opportunity to instill preventive health behaviors, yet knowledge levels among Nigerian secondary school girls remain suboptimal. This study assessed the impact of an educational intervention on the knowledge of breast and cervical cancers among secondary school girls in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria. Methodology: A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted among 600 female senior secondary school students (SS1–SS3) selected from three randomly chosen schools across Enugu metropolis. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire assessing awareness, risk factors, prevention, and screening methods for both cancers. Knowledge scores were categorized as “good” or “poor” based on predefined cut-offs. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used for analysis, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: At baseline, good knowledge of cervical cancer was observed in 23.7% of students, breast cancer in 56.2%, and overall cancer knowledge in 42.8%. Post-intervention, these proportions increased significantly to 93.3%, 96.3%, and 97.2%, respectively (all p = 0.001). Age and class were significantly associated with knowledge in the pre-test (p = 0.001) but not post-test, indicating improvement across all demographic subgroups. Conclusion: The educational intervention significantly improved knowledge of breast and cervical cancers among secondary school girls in Enugu. Integrating cancer awareness programs into school curricula could promote early adoption of preventive behaviors, ultimately reducing the future burden of these diseases in Nigeria.