Objective:

To investigate the prevalence of breast self-examination (BSE) practice and its associated sociodemographic, knowledge-based, and attitudinal factors among female medical students in Borama, Somaliland.

Approach:

• Study Design: A university-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 202 female medical students using a structured self-administered questionnaire.
• Data Analysis: Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to identify independent predictors of BSE practice.

Key Findings:

• 77.7% of participants had a high level of knowledge about BSE.
• 80.2% exhibited overall positive attitudes toward BSE.
• Only 46.5% of participants had ever performed BSE, with 51.1% practicing it monthly as recommended.
• Attitude was identified as the strongest predictor of BSE practice (OR = 3.251, 95% CI: 1.68–6.29, p < 0.001).
• Older students were significantly more likely to engage in BSE (OR = 5.012, 95% CI: 2.45–10.25, p < 0.001).

Interpretation:

A substantial 'knowledge-practice gap' exists in BSE among female medical students.

Limitations:

• The study used convenience sampling, which may limit generalizability.
• Self-reported data may be subject to bias.

Conclusion:

Interventions should focus on attitude-based behavioral training.