Awareness about risk factors for breast cancer and mammography among pregnant women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20163602Keywords:
Awareness, Breast cancer, Mammography, ScreeningAbstract
Background: Breast cancer is a commonest cancer among females. Places that have experienced low prevalence are also affected recently due to failure at early detection. Increased level of awareness translates into early detection of the disease and early presentation. Improving awareness about the disease and availability of screening practices through targeted interventions will positively influenced adoption of early detection methods by women. We planned a study to determine the awareness about risk factors for breast cancer and mammography among pregnant mothers.
Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 400 pregnant women from May 2016 to August 2016, at Indira Gandhi medical college and research institute, Puducherry in India. Face to face interview was conducted with all participants by means of a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained a total of 21 questions. Answers to all questions were collected as categorical responses ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Each answer was given a score of 1 and 0 respectively. Chi-square test was used to assess significance of study findings.
Results: A cohort of 400 pregnant women, and all completed the questionnaire by a face to face interview. Response rate was 100%. Mean age was 24±3.72 years. The mean knowledge score on awareness about breast cancer was 0.56 and the mean knowledge score on awareness about risk factors for breast cancer was 0.14. Only 31 pregnant women (7.75%) were aware about mammography. All socio-demographic variables had significant effect on knowledge with p-value <0.05.
Conclusions: The knowledge of our pregnant women on awareness about breast cancer was average and that on breast cancer risk factors and mammography was very poor.
References
Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J, Pisani P. Global cancer statistics, 2002. CA Cancer J Clin. 2005;55:74-108.
Okobia MN, Osime U. Clinicopathological study of carcinomaof the breast in Benin city. Afr J Reprod Health. 2001;5(2):56-62.
Anyanwu SN. Breast cancer in eastern Nigeria: a ten year review. West Afr J Med. 2000;19(2):120-5.
Ihekwaba FN, Ihekwaba FN. Breast cancer in Nigerian women breast cancer in Nigerian women. Br J Surg. 1992;79(8):771-5.
Bastani R, Maxwell AE, Carbonari J, Rozelle R, Baxter J, Vernon S. Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours: a comparison of Rural Health and non-health workers. Cancer Epidem Biomar. 1994;3:77-85.
Adebamowo CA, Ajayi OO. Breast cancer in Nigeria. West Afr Jmed. 2000;19:179-91.
Lannin DR, Mathews HF, Mitchell J, Swanson MS, Swanson FH, Edwards MS. Influence of socioeconomic and cultural factorson racial differences in late - stage presentation of breast cancer. JAMA. 1998;279:1801-7.
Smith RA, Cokkinides V, Eyre HJ. American cancer society guidelines for the early detection of cancer. CA CancerJ Clin. 2005;55:31-44.
Kerlikowske K, Grady D, Rubin SM, Sandrock C, Ernster VL. Efficacy of screening mammography. A meta-analysis. JAMA. 1995;273:149-54.
Mammographic screening for breast cancer: few new data. Prescrire Int. 2008;17:24-7.
Humphrey LL, Helfand M, Chan BK, Woolf SH. Breast cancer screening: a summary of the evidence for the U. S. preventive services task force. Ann Intern Med. 2002;137:347-60.
Coleman EA, Lord J, Heard J, Coon S, Cantrell M, Mohrmann C, O'sullivan P. The delta project: increasing breast cancer screening among rural minority and older women by targetingrural healthcare providers. Oncol Nurse Forum. 2003;30(4):669-77.
Ibrahim NA, Odusanya OO. Knowledge of risk factors, beliefs and practices of female healthcare professionals towards breast cancer in a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria. BMC Cancer. 2009;9:76.
Obajimi MO, Ajayi IO, Oluwasola AO. Level of awareness of mammography among women attending outpatient clinics in a teaching hospital in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:40.
Osime OC, Okojie O, Aigbekaen ET, Aigbekaen IJ. Knowledge attitude and practice about breast cancer among civil servants in Benin City, Nigeria. Ann Afr Med. 2008;7(4):192-7.
Akinola R, Wright K, Osunfidiya O, Orogbemi O, Akinola O. Mammographyand mammography screening: are female patients at a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, aware of these procedures? DiagnInterv Radiol. 2011;17(2):125-9.
