Awareness regarding breast cancer amongst women in Pakistan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common cause of cancer death in Pakistan. In 2019, Pakistan saw the highest global BCa-associated death rate. But do Pakistani women know about the various aspects of BCa? And how prevalent are BCa screening methods amongst Pakistani females? These questions formed the basis for our study. METHODS: We conducted this review in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. On September 1, 2023, we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and performed a citation search to search for eligible studies published in 2010 or after, using the following terms: "breast cancer" and "Pakistan". Observational studies that evaluated BCa awareness and/or practice amongst Pakistani females who were not associated with medicine were eligible. We used the National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool to assess the risk of bias. We conducted a proportion meta-analysis to calculate pooled prevalences for variables. RESULTS: Responses from 9766 Pakistani women across 18 included studies showed alarmingly low levels of BCa knowledge: risk factors, 42.7% (95% CI: 34.1%-51.4%); symptoms, 41.8% (95% CI: 26.2%-57.5%); diagnostic modalities, 36.3% (95% CI: 23.1%-49.4%); treatments, 46.6% (95% CI: 13.5%-79.8%). Prevalence of breast self-examination (BSE) and ever having undergone a clinical breast exam (CBE) was 28.7% (95% CI: 17.9%-39.6%) and 15.3% (95 CI: 11.2%-19.4%), respectively. BCa knowledge was significantly associated with better educational status, age, and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: On average, only two in five Pakistani women are aware of one or more risk factors, symptoms, or diagnostic modalities. Approximately one in two women know about possible BCa treatment. Less than one in three women practice regular BSE, and less than one in five women have ever undergone a CBE.

Exploring the Landscape of Breast Cancer Prevention among Chinese Residents in Italy: An In-Depth Analysis of Screening Adherence, Breast Self-Examination (BSE) Practices, the Role of Technological Tools, and Misconceptions Surrounding Risk Factors and Symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer remains a significant health concern among women globally. Despite advancements in awareness and diagnostic techniques, it persists as a leading cause of death, with profound impacts on affected individuals' quality of life. Primary and secondary prevention, including regular screenings and practices like breast self-examination (BSE), are pivotal in ensuring early diagnosis. The national health system (NHS) in Italy offers screenings for women aged 50-69 every two years, managed by the local health authority. However, the participation rates, especially among the Chinese female population residing in Italy, are not well understood. METHODS: Using a snowball method, we electronically disseminated a survey to investigate how Chinese women living in Italy engage with available NHS screening programs. The survey also explores their practice of BSE and the use and impact of technological tools on prevention. Furthermore, the study aims to understand the subjects' depth of knowledge and misconceptions about breast cancer. RESULTS: The data reveal a significant gap in breast cancer screening adherence and knowledge among Chinese women in Italy, with a notable discrepancy between the general population and those who have previously encountered cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the urgent need for interventions that are culturally sensitive, stressing that these actions are not only desirable but essential.

Breast self-examination practices among young rural women and its associated knowledge and attitudes in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu.

CONTEXT: Breast self-examination (BSE) is a simple and cost-effective screening procedure in downstaging breast tumors. AIM: To assess the BSE practices and its associated knowledge and attitudes of rural women from Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu during the COVID-19 pandemic. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed, and snowball sampling was used to recruit the sample of rural women from Tirunelveli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women ages 18-60 willing to take part were included. Data were collected online through a self-developed questionnaire. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Responses were analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to present the general details and responses of the rural women through percentages. Using the appropriate tests, the mean differences of the BSE attitudes based on the personal variables were computed using one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: A total of 433 rural women (Mean age: 29.20 ± 9.35 years) from Tirunelveli responded to the online Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) questionnaire. Regular health checkups were undergone by 27.48% of women and 9.24% underwent breast cancer (BC) screening in the past. While 68.36% had heard of BC, 61% knew it could be detected in the early stages. Insufficient knowledge regarding BSE techniques was evident among the women. Knowledge about BC was highest among those earning more than 20,001 INR, women aged 36-45, widowed/separated/divorced women, and diploma graduates. Overall, BSE and BC knowledge score was low, with correspondingly low attitudes and practices. CONCLUSION: Findings showed the KAP among rural Tirunelveli women to be low.

Effect of educational intervention on the knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self-examination among female students at a private university in Southern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: In Nigeria, breast cancer (BC), a disorder marked by the unchecked growth of breast cells, has been the commonest cancer among women in Nigeria. Breast self-examination (BSE) is one of the suggested methods for screening for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. However, studies have reported inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes and poor practices of BSE among undergraduate female students. The study was designed as an interventional study to examine the effect of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self-examination among female students in a private university in southern Nigeria. METHODS: This pretest posttest design study was carried out on 103 students of Novena University at baseline in 2022, which were chosen through the use of simple random sampling. A validated questionnaire with components on demographics, knowledge, attitude, and BSE practice was used to gather the data. After that, the students participated in three hourly sessions of an educational intervention for two weeks. A month later, the students' data were once again collected, and SPSS 20 software was used to evaluate the results using the mean, paired t test, and logistic regression at the P < 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 22.37 ± 1.92 years. Only 53 (51.3%) were aware of BSE. The mean knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE at pretest significantly increased at posttest after the educational intervention (1.58 ± 1.48 vs. 4.31 ± 1.15, 2.37 ± 1.27 vs. 4.80 ± 0.49 and 1.97 ± 0.09 vs. 5.81 ± 3.26, respectively). Furthermore, age and family history of BC were predictors of knowledge (OR = 4.00 95% CI = 0.29-41.99, OR = 141, 95% CI = 0.15-13.18), attitude (OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 0.28-12.32, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.24-8.34) and practice of BSE (OR = 2.66, 95% CI = 0.38-18.41, OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 0.24-8.34) respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that using an educational intervention strategy will improve the knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE among undergraduate students.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast self-examination is associated with general self-care and cultural factors: a study from Tamil Nadu, India.

AIM: Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer among women. One form of care related to early detection of breast cancer is breast self-examination (BSE). However, evidence on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of BSE and its determining factors are minuscule in an Indian context. Therefore, the present study primarily examined the prevalence of KAP of BSE. Further, its association with general self-care and cultural factors was determined. METHODS: This cross-sectional study obtained data from 412 women (Mn age = 26.63) from two rural localities of Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Self-reported questionnaires of KAP of BSE, self-care, and cultural factors were applied. Statistical analyses include independent sample t-test and binomial logistic regression. RESULTS: The majority of the sample had inadequate knowledge (58%), unfavourable attitudes (73.8%), and poor practice (89.6%) of BSE. The general self-care among the sample was moderate. Self-care was found to be a significant predictor of knowledge (b = 0.07, p < .05) and attitude (b = 0.092, p < .05) toward BSE. Shyness was identified as a negative predictor of KAP. Discouraged breast health discussions predicted inadequate knowledge, and not being educated by family/friends had a negative impact on knowledge and practice. A preference for same-gender physicians led to an unfavourable attitude toward BSE. CONCLUSION: The observed negative trends in KAP of BSE are concerning. The results imply that girls and women should be educated and encouraged to practice BSE and promote self-care behaviours. At the same time, efforts to reduce cultural barriers may be helpful to promote the KAP of BSE.

Knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among breast cancer patients in Damascus, Syria.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) represents an important cause of cancer death, its incidence rate has been rising gradually in the Arab world, and in Syria, BC is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death; its prognosis gets better as we detect it early in its first stages. So, it is very important to implement one or more early detection methods such as Breast Self-Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and mammography. BSE represents an effective method to find out changes in breast structure when they happen. This study investigates the knowledge of BSE and its practice in BC patients. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study in Al-Bairouni hospital in Damascus-Syria was carried out using face-to-face interviews based on a structured questionnaire, which consisted of 4 sections. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using various analytical tests, including the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Five hundred patients were interviewed. Only 27.4% of patients had a good knowledge of BSE, 17.4% had average knowledge, and 55.2% had low knowledge of BSE. The factors that have an impact on the knowledge of BSE were: family breast cancer history (first and second-degree relatives), education, and the region of living (between governorates). The effect of knowledge of BSE on its practice was positive. However, only 24.8% of patients have been practicing BSE; the reasons for not practicing BSE were: no one has told the patient about it (64.8% of cases), and the patient does not have any symptoms relating to the breast (21.4%).Breast cancer was identified through breast self-examination (BSE) in 15.6% of cases. CONCLUSION: There is a low degree of knowledge and little practice of BSE among Syrian breast cancer patients. Family breast cancer history, governate, occupation, and level of education had a statistically significant effect on knowledge scores of BSE, unlike age and social status. So, some steps should be taken to increase awareness about BSE among Syrian females.

Breast Cancer Screening: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Female University Students in The Gambia.

Background: Breast cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer in The Gambia, with an incidence rate of approximately 15% and a mortality rate exceeding 50% in 2020. The all-age prevalence stands at 11.25 per 100,000 population. In light of this, we conducted a study to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast cancer screening among female university students. Method: We conducted an institutional cross-sectional study involving 361 randomly sampled female university students. Data collection was done using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. We utilized descriptive statistics to describe the prevalence and burden of breast cancer screening among the participants. Results: Our study revealed good knowledge regarding breast cancer screening among female university students, yet 82.8% had a negative attitude about the disease. More than three-quarters (76.6%) of the respondents had never practiced any form of breast cancer screening. Notably, there was a significant association between knowledge of breast cancer screening and attitude (p = 0.027), and factors such as level of study (p = 0.041), ethnicity (p = 0.026), parity (p = 0.018), and faculty of study (p = <0.001) influenced the participants' knowledge. Conclusion: It is crucial to implement comprehensive awareness campaigns to address the negative attitude and poor screening practices among female university students regarding breast cancer. Additionally, providing free and widespread breast cancer screening services to students should be considered as a means to combat this disease.

The practice of breast self-examination and associated factors among female healthcare professionals working in selected hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Breast self-examination (BSE) is considered one of the main screening methods in detecting earlier stages of breast cancer. It is a useful technique if practiced every month by women above 20 years considering that breast cancer among women globally contributed to 685,000 deaths in 2020. However, the practice of breast self-examination among healthcare professionals is low in many developing countries and it is not well known in Rwanda. Therefore, this research was intended to measure the level of breast self-examination practice and its associated factors among female healthcare professionals working in selected hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 221 randomly selected female healthcare professionals in four district hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The predictor variables were socio-demographic and obstetrics variables, knowledge on breast cancer and breast self-examination as well as attitude towards breast cancer and breast self-examination. Sample statistics such as frequencies, proportions and mean were used to recapitulate the findings in univariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to identify statistically significant variables that predict breast self-examination practice. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence level were reported. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. RESULTS: Breast self-examination was practiced by 43.5% of female healthcare professionals. This prevalence is low compared to other studies. Attitude towards breast self-examination and breast cancer was the only predictor variable that was significantly associated with breast self-examination practice [AOR = 1.032; 95% CI (1.001, 1.065), p-value = 0.042]. However, number of pregnancy and number of children were not significantly associated with BSE practice in the multi-variate analysis. In addition, there was a positive linear link between knowledge and attitude, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.186 (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The breast self-examination practice among healthcare professionals was found to be low. Attitude towards breast cancer and breast self-examination was positively associated with BSE practice. Moreover, attitude and knowledge were positively correlated. This suggests the need for continuous medical education on breast self-examination and breast cancer to increase the knowledge & BSE practice level of female healthcare professionals.

Assessment of breast cancer risk perception, knowledge, and breast self-examination practices among market women in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide, and its incidence is increasing, particularly in low-medium-income countries (LMICs). Evidence shows that breast self-examination (BSE) is culturally acceptable, religiously friendly and inexpensive. This study assessed BC risk perception, knowledge and breast self-examination practices among market women in Ondo State, Nigeria. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among market women in 3 selected markets in Owo. A semi-structured interview-based questionnaire was used to collect data. The instrument consisted of five sections based on the objective of the study. Selection of the study participants was done using a multistage sampling technique. The test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. Participants knowledge and practices were categorised into good (≥ 50% total score) and poor (< 50% total score) while risk perception was grouped into high (≥ 50% total score) and low (< 50% total score).Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at a p value < 0.05 for determining statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 335 respondents completed the study and the mean age ± S.D. was 37.19 ± 9.19 years (range: 18-65 years). 47.5% of respondents were Christian while 60.0% of the respondents were married. 15.5% had tertiary education, and more than two-thirds were from the Yoruba tribe. More than two-thirds (78.5%) of the participants stated that they practiced breast self-examination, while 58.5% reported to have been taught how to perform BSE. 75.8% agreed that the use of injectable contraception or oral pills can result in BC, while 75.8% also agreed that women of reproductive age are at risk of BC. Less than 50% mentioned that they were uncomfortable taking off clothes in front of health professionals during the examination. The perceived risk of BC showed that 221 (65.97%), and 114 (34.03%) of respondents had high, and low levels of perceived risk of BC, respectively. However, 184 (54.93%) and 151 (45.07%) of the respondents had good and poor knowledge. The majority (139, 41.49%) of the respondents had poor BSE practice. Age (p = 0.023), educational qualifications (p < 0.001), average income per month (p < 0.001) and ethnicity (p = < 0.001) were statistically associated with knowledge of breast self-examination while religion (p = 0.02), marital status (p = 0.01), educational qualification (p = 0.001) and distance from facility (p = 0.009) were statistically associated with perceived risk of BC. Participants' educational qualification (p = 0.006) and ethnicity (p = 0.013) were statistically associated with practice of BSE. Good knowledge was also identified as a significant predictor of good practice of participants among the women (95%CI: 4.574 (2.841-7.365), p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study identified high level of perception, good knowledge and good practice of BSE among majority of the market women in Owo Town. Interventions and extensive health education on BSE with the aim of creating positive awareness and understanding of BSE among the population should be encouraged.

What is the uptake rate of breast self-examination in Iranian women? Estimation based on systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast self-examination is a simple, painless, confidential and inexpensive screening method for early diagnosis that does not require specialized tools and equipment. In this study, we have estimated the pooled percentage of breast self-examination (BSE) in Iranian women. METHODS: All the published literatures between 2012 and 2022 have been reviewed. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scientific Information and Magiran databases. The effect size was the pooled percentage of breast self-examination (BSE). In order to check the heterogeneity, the estimation of the I2 index and extraction of the Galbraith plot were used, and the drivers of heterogeneity have been identified through meta-regression and estimates were made based on subgroups. All the analysis was done in STATA 15. RESULTS: From the initial 294 records, 38 were included in the final analysis in which 9960 women have been studied. The heterogeneity of the studies was high based on the variation in OR (I2 = 98.4%, heterogeneity X2 = 2278.21 (d.f. = 37), p < 0.01). The pooled rate of BSE based on fixed and random methods was obtained as 15.46 (95% CI: 14.83 to 16.09) and 24.74 (95% CI: 19.62 to 29.86) percent, respectively. The highest pooled percentage BSE (39.41%, 95% CI: 30.98 to 47.83) was obtained from studies that investigated the action phase in the Trans theoretical model. The pooled percentage obtained from the studies conducted in the central regions of Iran was higher than other cities (27.47%, 95% CI: 17.38 to 37.55). CONCLUSION: The result from our analysis determined that performing breast self-examination in Iranian women is low. Health policy makers can increase the rate of breast self-examination in Iran by implementing basic educational programs in schools and encouraging and justifying women in social health centers.

Exploring enablers and barriers to breast self-examination among women in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: a qualitative study.

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the second most common cancer overall. Breast self-examination (BSE) is one of the cheapest methods used for the early detection of BC in asymptomatic women. More than 90% of cases of BC can be detected by women themselves. This reality stresses the importance of BSE as the key BC detection mechanism. However, in Ethiopia, most of the BE studies were not conducted among women in the general population. Therefore, this study aimed to explore enablers and barriers to breast self-examination among women in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia. A descriptive qualitative study design was conducted from August 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 46 women from one selected district in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia. A Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants for FGD. The audio-recorded data were transcribed verbatim to "Afan Oromo". Transcribed data were translated into English. The data were manually coded into themes and analyzed manually by using inductive thematic analysis. The findings of the study were discussed under five themes of enablers and three themes of barriers. The five themes of enablers were knowledge about BC, knowledge about BSE, experience of BSE practice, perceived susceptibility, and perceived benefit of BSE practice. The four themes of barriers were low knowledge of BSE practice, misconceptions about BSE practice, and fear of detecting BC. These findings suggest that targeted health education programs, collaboration between healthcare providers and local stakeholders, and the availability of support services can play a crucial role in overcoming barriers and encouraging BSE practice for early detection of breast abnormalities.

Practice, confidence and continuity of breast self-examination among women in Thailand during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Breast self-examination (BSE) is the most feasible screening tool compared with clinical breast examination and mammography. It is crucial to address the associated factors of practising BSE to develop a targeted BSE promotion programme and improve the BSE quality in Thai women, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Thailand's north and northeast region from March 2020 to November 2022. PARTICIPANTS: This study involved 405 women aged 30-70 years old. VARIABLES AND OUTCOMES: Demographic information, health status and BSE were collected using a modified questionnaire based on the Champion Health Belief Model. The outcomes were ever-practising BSE, BSE practice within the last 6 months, continuity of BSE and confidence in doing BSE. Logistic regression and decision tree analysis identified the associated factors. RESULTS: 75.55% of participants ever performed BSE. Around 74.18% did BSE within the last 6 months. Diploma graduates (adjusted OR (aOR) 25.48, 95% CI 2.04 to 318.07), 21-40 reproductive years (aOR 4.29, 95% CI 1.22 to 15.08), ever pregnant (aOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.05 to 10.49), not drinking alcohol (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.55), not receiving hormone replacement (aOR 5.51, 95% CI 2.04 to 14.89), higher knowledge (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.52), attitude (aOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.26) and practice/cues of action towards BSE were associated with ever-practising BSE. Frequent high-fat diet, high awareness of breast cancer, lower knowledge of BSE and lower attitude toward BSE were associated with not practising BSE within 6 months and BSE discontinuation. Only high knowledge of BSE was associated with absolute confidence in BSE (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite having a higher percentage than other studies in different countries prior to the pandemic, it is still crucial to improve knowledge of BSE to encourage BSE practice, confidence and continuity of BSE in Thai women. Moreover, the BSE campaign should target women with prolonged exposure to oestrogen and sedentary lifestyle.

Breast Cancer Prevention: The Key Role of Population Screening, Breast Self-Examination (BSE) and Technological Tools. Survey of Italian Women.

Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women worldwide and still remains the leading cause of death in women in Italy. Although survival from this pathology has increased, this disease and its treatment can have lasting or delayed effects that can greatly affect a woman's quality of life. Primary and secondary prevention are currently the best strategies to combat this cancer: improved lifestyle, early adherence to screening, Breast Self-Examination (BSE), and even now the use of technology, have become among the most important tools to ensure increasingly early diagnosis of this disease, which is a major cause of suffering and premature mortality in women. Indeed, early diagnosis of the disease can lead to a good prognosis and a high survival rate. This study investigates the attitude of Italian women to perform clinical checkups aimed at cancer prevention, particularly adherence to free screening programs offered by the National Health Service (NHS) for women in the 50-69 age group. The knowledge, use and emotional approach toward BSE as a screening tool and the use of dedicated apps for this purpose are also investigated. Low adherence to screening programs, lack of BSE practice, and nonuse of dedicated apps are just some of the results observed in this study. Therefore, it becomes essential to spread the culture of prevention, cancer awareness and the importance of screening throughout life.

Awareness of Breast Self-Examination among Female Community Health Volunteers of Pokhara.

BACKGROUND: Breast self-examination is a simple, inexpensive and effective method of examining the breast by woman herself after 20 years of age in order to detect a breast lump in the early stage. Women should have this knowledge for early detection and treatment of breast cancer. So, the present study aimed to assess awareness of female community health volunteers regarding breast self-examination and the effect of a teaching program. METHODS: One group pre-test post-test study was conducted among 145 female community health volunteers selected from eight wards of Pokhara Metropolitan using convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 27 March to 23 April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Before intervention, around two third of respondents (67.6%) had inadequate and only 1.4% had adequate level of awareness. But after the intervention, 68.3% had adequate level of awareness. The post-test mean awareness score (23.87 ± 4.7) was higher than pre-test mean awareness score (12.97 ± 3.93). Test of significance revealed that increment in the awareness due to a structured teaching program was highly significant (p <0 .001). This study also found that there was difference in the mean pretest awareness score according to educational level of the respondents only. Based on the mean score, the score was significantly higher among women with higher level of education (p=<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Around two thirds of female community health volunteers have inadequate level of awareness regarding breast self-examination before the intervention. Educational intervention program was found to be effective in improving their awareness.

Breast self-examination: Knowledge, practice and associated factors among 20 to 49 years aged women in Butwal sub-metropolitan, Rupandehi, Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and also among Nepalese women. Breast self-examination is an important, cheap, and easy method for early diagnosis of breast cancer which can be cured in the majority of cases if diagnosed in the early stages. In developing countries like Nepal where the awareness regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination is poor, breast cancers are diagnosed at late stages resulting in a poor prognosis of the disease. The study assessed knowledge, practice, and factors associated with breast self-examination. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 262 women in the Butwal sub-metropolitan adopting multi-stage sampling. A pre-tested structured interview schedule and an observation checklist were used to collect the data. Data was entered in EPI-data and necessary univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were done in SPSS. RESULTS: The study found that more than half of the participants (55.3%) had poor knowledge of BSE. Only one-fourth (27.1%) of them were practicing BSE and among them, most of them (93.0%) had poor practice. The factors such as ethnicity from Brahmin/Chhetri [AOR = 2.099, 95% CI (1.106-3.981)], use of contraceptive devices [AOR = 9.487, 95% CI (2.166-41.558)], personal history of breast lump [AOR = 12.502, 95% CI (1.639-95.387)], family history of breast cancer [AOR = 5.729, 95% CI (1.337-97.512)], and knowledge of BSE [AOR = 4.407, 95% CI = 2.160-34.650)] were significant determinants of BSE practice among 20-49 years women. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that most of the women had poor knowledge and practice of breast self-examination. The study also indicated the influence of ethnicity, contraceptives, personal and family history of cancer/early warning signs, and knowledge for practicing breast self-examination. There is an immediate need to increase the knowledge and practice of breast self-examination to prevent and detect breast cancer in its early stage.

Response to "Knowledge and Practice of Breast Self-Examination: A Cross-Sectional Study of Women at Selected Health Centers in Oyo State, Nigeria".

I would like to thank Faleti et al. (2023) for describing the practice patterns of breast self-examination (BSE) in Nigeria. Early identification of the symptoms of breast cancer is important in the effort to improve quality.

"I don't know what I'm feeling for": young women's beliefs about breast cancer risk and experiences of breast awareness.

BACKGROUND: Younger women are often diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Beliefs about risk are instrumental in motivating many health protective behaviours, but there may be confusion around which behaviour is appropriate to detect breast cancer earlier. Breast awareness, defined as an understanding of how the breasts look and feel so changes can be identified early, is widely recommended. In contrast, breast self-examination involves palpation using a specified method. We aimed to investigate young women's beliefs about their risk and experiences of breast awareness. METHODS: Thirty-seven women aged 30-39 years residing in a North West region of England with no family or personal history of breast cancer participated in seven focus groups (n = 29) and eight individual interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes were generated. "Future me's problem" describes why women perceive breast cancer as an older woman's disease. Uncertainty regarding checking behaviours highlights how confusion about self-checking behaviour advice has resulted in women infrequently performing breast checks. Campaigns as a missed opportunity highlights the potential negative effects of current breast cancer fundraising campaigns and the perceived absence of educational campaigning about breast cancer for this demographic. CONCLUSIONS: Young women expressed low perceived susceptibility to developing breast cancer in the near future. Women did not know what breast self-checking behaviours they should be performing and expressed a lack of confidence in how to perform a breast check appropriately due to limited knowledge about what to look and feel for. Consequently, women reported disengagement with breast awareness. Defining and clearly communicating the best strategy for breast awareness and establishing whether it is beneficial or not are essential next steps.

Assessing Syrian women's knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, warning signs, and barriers to preventive measures: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the knowledge of Syrian women about breast cancer risk factors, warning signals, and barriers. Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death among women. It develops when cells in the breast tissue grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor that can spread to other parts of the body. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This survey was conducted online from September 3 to September 27, 2022, and focused on Syrian women over the age of 18. It was divided into two sections, one focusing on sociodemographic characteristics and the other on breast cancer risk factors, warning signals, and barriers. RESULTS: This study found that the majority of the 1305 participants had inadequate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, warning signs, and barriers. Those with higher levels of education, such as Ph.D. students, had the highest overall scores. The sample was mostly made up of housewives, married women, and women with moderate monthly incomes. CONCLUSION: This research found that Syrian women have inadequate knowledge about breast cancer, including risk factors, warning signs, and barriers. To reduce mortality rates, increase survival rates, and improve early diagnosis, local health organizations should provide awareness courses to emphasize the importance of annual breast exams.

Promoting breast health awareness: Can a sensor-enabled training system for patient education help?

INTRODUCTION: According to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 79% of women (N = 222) diagnosed with breast cancer reported that they identified their cancers through breast self-exam (BSE). However, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force does not require clinicians to teach women how to perform BSE. METHODS: To address this grave challenge, our team at the Technology Enabled Clinical Improvement (TECI) Center has developed a mobile, sensor-enabled haptic training system to teach women proper BSE technique. To validate the efficacy of the training system, our team deployed a data collection at the 2019 Breast Cancer and African Americans (BCAA) event where survey, sensor, and anecdotal data were collected from 61 participants. The custom-built breast model used in this study had a single, hard mass embedded in it. RESULTS: Participants at the BCAA event were able to successfully identify the mass 65% of the time and used an average force of 7.2 N. When looking at participants' confidence in their abilities to perform BSE, only 10% of respondents answered "very confident" pre-training whereas post-training, the reporting for "very confident" jumped to 66% (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: By comparison, our previous work revealed that practitioners who use less than 10 N of force are 70% more likely to miss a lesion. The integration of sensors into the BSE haptic training system allowed for objective, evidence-based assessment of hands-on skill. In addition to teaching women proper BSE technique, this training empowered women to be informed advocates in their breast health journey. Future community-based training/feedback sessions will allow for continuous advancement of the training system.

The Role of the Health Belief Model in Explaining Why Symptomatic Iranian Women Hesitate to Seek Early Screening for Breast Cancer: a Qualitative Study.

Early detection of breast cancer (BC) is important to increase the likelihood of treatment and improve the quality of life and survival. The study explored why symptomatic women linger to seek early screening for BC diagnosis based on the health belief model (HBM). In this qualitative study, 20 participants were selected using the purposive sampling method (9 health professionals and 11 female patients BC). Data were collected using in-depth, semi-structured interviews in 2019. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using the directed content analysis informed by HBM. According to the participants' experiences, although most patients comprehended the extent of the disease, they did not see themselves at risk of BC. Some were not adequately aware of the benefits of early diagnosis and did not have the self-efficacy required for early presentation. The main barriers to the early presentation included lack of awareness, financial problems, embarrassment over the clinical examination, and inadequate access to specialized centers. According to HBM, while designing and implementing educational programs, it is recommended to focus on reinforcing perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and perceived self-efficacy, providing access to facilities, and removing possible barriers and cultural issues to encourage women for timely referral for BC screening.