AWARENESS OF BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION IN WOMEN OF ISLAMABAD CAPITAL, PAKISTAN

sadia yasir khan, Sadaf Konain Ansari, Shehla Farhin, Saba Khilji, Alia Sarfaraz, Ramsha Kharal

Abstract


Background: In Pakistan, Breast Cancer is the most common cancer affecting females and becomes more aggressive as it usually presents in 3rd and 4th stages. Screening practices like breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography can decrease the burden of disease. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness about breast self-examination and the screening practices regarding breast cancer.

Materials & Methods: A community based cross sectional study was done from November 01, 2020 to January 30, 2021 in rural and urban areas of Islamabad organized by Community Medicine Department Islamabad Medical and Dental College. Sample population was 310, all females above 25 years and less than 70 years whether married or unmarried were included in the study. The data collection tool was six sectioned based proforma. Analysis was done by using SPSS version 23. Chi-square test was used to calculate the p-value, and value of 0.05 was set as significant.

Results: Out of 310 females, with a mean age of 32yrs, 50% of the participants never heard of breast self-examination (BSE) while 40% of the participants heard about that but had never practiced it and 10% practiced it occasionally with significant p-value of 0.001. Knowledge association with demographic variables like literacy rate, marital status and living area was also assessed and the difference was found significant, having p- valve less than 0.05.

Conclusion: Knowledge regarding BSE was there in community however, screening practices were deficient and it needs special attention.


Keywords


Female; Breast cancer; mammography; disease burden; Mass screening; self-examination.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46903/gjms/21.02.1252

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