This qualitative study was developed and sought to investigate the day-to-day of Undergraduate Nursing students of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, and their adhesion to avoid cervix-uterine and breast cancer. The data was collected through open interviews with 41 seventh and eighth semester students during the second semester of 2005. The analysis of their answers pointed out three categories: knowledge, attitude and practice; the dichotomy between knowledge and incorrect action; and the dichotomy between knowledge and non-action. It became clear that the Ministry of Health's orientation about this self-care is correctly implemented by some students, but not by others. The knowledge acquired through taking classes was observed to not impose upon the students an adherence in care practice for their own prevention. This subject proved itself to be very ample, with many possibilities for reflection and further questions.
Nursing; Women's health; Breast cancer prevention; Cervix neoplasms prevention