Awareness about breast cancer and breast self-examination among reproductive age group females attending outpatient department of tertiary health care hospital: a cross-sectional study

Anchal A. Rangari; Monika S. Masare; Gautam M. Khakse; Sushama S. Thakre

doi:10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20251567

Authors

Anchal A. Rangari Department of Community Medicine, Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India
Monika S. Masare Department of Community Medicine, Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India
Gautam M. Khakse Department of Community Medicine, Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India
Sushama S. Thakre Department of Community Medicine, Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20251567

Keywords:

Awareness score, Hospital-based study, 15-49 years age females, Knowledge

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in Indian women. For every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one woman died of it in India. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the awareness about breast cancer, and to assess knowledge regarding breast self-examination (BSE) among reproductive age group females.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the out-patient department (OPD) at a tertiary health care hospital from April to September 2023 among 203 females of the reproductive age group (15-49 years) using a simple random sampling technique. A self-designed, pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess awareness about breast cancer and knowledge regarding BSE. Institutional Ethics Committee approved this study. Data was analyzed with statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 and Microsoft excel.

Results: Study participants had a mean age of 28±8 years. Among the total participants of n=203, 93 (45.8%) were married, and 58 (28.6%) belonged to the upper socioeconomic class. A total of 175 (86.2%) women heard about BC. Among them (n=175), 133 (76.0%) women were aware of causes of BC, 89 (50.8%) knows about diagnosis, 77 (44%) had knowledge regarding treatment and 101 (57.7%) were known to preventive measures for BC. 86 (49.1%) women had knowledge about BSE, but among them only 52 (60.4%) knew proper technique and were practicing it monthly.

Conclusions: Overall awareness about BC and BSE was less and measures should be taken to improve BC awareness and BSE practices.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Mehejabin F, Rahman S. Knowledge and perception of breast cancer among women of reproductive age in Chattogram, Bangladesh: a cross-sectional survey. Health Sci Rep. 2022;5(5):e840. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.840

Asif H, Sultan S, Akhtar N, Rehman J, Rehman R. Prevalence, risk factors and disease knowledge of breast cancer in Pakistan. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(11):4411-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.11.4411

Rahman S, Al-Marzouki A, Otim M, Khayat N, Yousuf R, Rahman P. Awareness about breast cancer and breast self-examination among female students at the University of Sharjah: a cross-sectional study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2019;20(6):1901-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2019.20.6.1901

World Health Organization: Breast cancer. 2024. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/ fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer. Accessed on 12 March 2025.

WHO: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Global cancer observatory. India Globocan. 2022. Available at: https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/ globocan/factsheets/populations/356-india-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed on 12 March 2025.

ICMR-NCDIR. Profile of cancer and related factors- Maharashtra. 2021. Available at: https://ncdirindia. org/All_Reports/State_Factsheet_21/Factsheet/FS_Maharashtra.pdf. Accessed on 12 March 2025.

Prusty R, Begum S, Patil A, Naik D, Pimple S, Mishra G. Increasing breast cancer awareness and breast examination practices among women through health education and capacity building of primary healthcare providers: a pre-post intervention study in low socioeconomic area of Mumbai, India. BMJ Open. 2021;11(4):e045424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045424

Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 2023. Available at: https://www.nhp.gov.in/breast-cancer-awareness-month-pg. Accessed on 12 March 2025.

National Cancer Institute. Breast cancer screening. 2023. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/ types/breast/patient/breast-screening-pdq. Accessed on 12 March 2025.

Solikhah S, Promthet S, Hurst C. Awareness level about breast cancer risk factors, barriers, attitude and breast cancer screening among Indonesian women. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2019;20(3):877-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2019.20.3.877

Dey S, Sharma S, Mishra A, Govil J, Dhillon P. Breast cancer awareness at the community level among women of Delhi, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(13):5243-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2015.16.13.5243

Loh S, Chew S. Awareness and practice of breast self-examination among Malaysian women with breast cancer. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2011;12(1):199-202.

Javalkar S, Shalini H, Davalagi S, Vidya S. Socio-economic status assessment in India: history and updates for 2024. Int J Com Med Public Health. 2024;11(3):1369-77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20240648

Afaya A, Japiong M, Konlan KD, Salia SM. Factors associated with awareness of breast cancer among women of reproductive age in Lesotho: a national population-based cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):621. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15443-y

Dadzi R, Adam A. Assessment of knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among reproductive age women in Akatsi South district of Volta region of Ghana. PLoS One. 2019;14(12):e0226925. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226925

Ranasinghe H, Ranasinghe N, Rodrigo C, Seneviratne R, Rajapakse S. Awareness of breast cancer among adolescent girls in Colombo, Shre Lanka: a school-based study. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:1209. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-1209

Yadav P, Jaroli D. Breast cancer: awareness and risk factors in college-going younger age group women in Rajasthan. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2010;11:319-22.

Dahiya N, Basu S, Singh M, Garg S, Kumar R, Kohli C. Knowledge and practices related to screening for breast cancer among women in Delhi, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2018;19(1):155-9.

Nischith K, Navya N, Poonam R. Awareness regarding breast cancer and its screening methods among women of the reproductive age group in rural coastal Karnataka. Natl J Community Med. 2018; 9(3):211-5.

Quansar R, Mukhtar M, Tak S, Khan S. A cross-sectional study on knowledge, awareness and practices regarding breast cancer among the women of reproductive age group (25-45 years) attending a peripheral health centre in North India. J Med Sci Clin Res. 2020;8(1):137-41.