Background: Breast cancer patients encounter challenges managing acute and chronic symptoms during and after treatment, leading to emotional fluctuations and diminished quality of life. Health education aims to improve knowledge and life skills; however, its specific impact on breast cancer patients' self-efficacy is unclear.

Objective: To assess the effects of health education on self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, anxiety, distress, and life quality in breast cancer patients.

Methods: Randomized controlled studies were systematically screened in 7 databases from inception of the database to May 1, 2024. Literature quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool. Results were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses and reported as standardized mean difference. Heterogeneity was reported using I2 statistic.

Results: Sixteen articles were included. Participants in the intervention group exhibited enhanced self-efficacy in posttest (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.23; P = .04, I2 = 8%) and during the follow-up period (SMD, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.09-0.52; P = .006, I2 = 63%), decreased depressive symptoms (SMD, -0.30; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.08; P = .0007, I2 = 17%), and increased life quality (SMD, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.01-0.49; P = .04, I2 = 48%) during the follow-up period.

Conclusions: Health education can enhance self-efficacy, reduce depressive symptoms, and improve the life quality of breast cancer patients. However, more rigorous research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness due to suboptimal blinding.

Implications for practice: The study underscores the critical role of health education in breast cancer management, emphasizing the necessity of integrating comprehensive health education programs into standard care protocols.

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