Breast Self Examination

This study examined screening utilization at least once and regular adherence to mammography, clinical breast exam, and breast self-exam among older Chinese-American women. One hundred women were recruited from senior centers in two metropolitan cities. Participants completed a questionnaire that included sections on demographics, health history, health insurance coverage, breast cancer screening, common and cultural barriers to screening, and acculturation. Logistic regression models found insurance coverage for mammography and acculturation to be significant predictors of having had a mammogram at least once. Low perceived need/lack of physician recommendation and recency of physical examination were significant predictors of having had a mammogram in the past year. Acculturation and modesty were significant predictors of having had a clinical breast exam at least once, while recency of physical examination was a significant predictor of having had a clinical breast exam in the past year. Reliance on medial professionals for screening and forgetting were significant predictors of having performed breast self-exam at least once, and forgetting was a significant predictor of regular performance of breast self-exam. These findings suggest that both common and cultural barriers play a role in breast cancer screening among older Chinese-American women, with cultural factors being more influential in the initiation of cancer screening behavior.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer amongst women, in Iran comprising 21.4% of female cancers. There are several screening modalities for breast cancer including breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography. This research reviews the literature surrounding the implementation of these screening approaches in the Islamic Republic of Iran. After initial results produced approximately 208 articles, a total of 96 articles were included because they specifically addressed epidemiological characteristics of breast cancer, culture, religion, health seeking behavior, screening programs and the health system in Iran. Literature showed that breast self-examination and clinical breast examination were most common as there is no population-based mammography screening program in Iran. Additionally, most women appear to obtain information through the mass media. Results also indicate that Islamic beliefs and preventative medicine are very much aligned and can be ...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia, about one in 19 women being at risk. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE), as well as knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer amongst female adolescents in Malaysia. Subsequently, relationships between demographic characteristics and knowledge level of BSE, risk factors for breast cancer and BSE practice were assessed.

The efficacy of screening by clinical breast examination (CBE) and/or breast self-examination (BSE) is reviewed using indirect evidence from randomized breast screening trials and that from observational studies. In countries where breast cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, screening by CBE with the teaching of BSE as an integral component will probably be effective in reducing breast cancer mortality. However, in technically advanced countries where adequate treatment is given, no screening modality is likely to be sufficiently beneficial to outweigh the harms of screening, especially false positives and over-diagnosis.

Evaluation of the knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self-examination in different groups of women in São Paulo.Application of a questionnaire to 392 women divided in four groups. Group one: 101 patients of the National Health Service, Group two: 95 female physicians; Group three: 95 female medical students; and Group four: 101 wives of gynecologists.Self-examination was performed by 90.3% of women, Group 1 having the lowest rate, 69.3%. However, proper self-examination (performed monthly or once per cycle, after menstrual period, with at least one stage in standing or sitting up position) was performed by only 30.4%, the poorest performance being found in Group 1 (15.7%) and the best one in Group 2 (43.6%). For women in Group 1, “mass media” was the most important source of information on breast self-examination, whereas for the other groups, it was “medical sources”.The majority of women are knowledgeable about breast self-examination but perform it improperly, this finding being more common among women who depend on the National Health Service, who represent a section of the general population. As breast self-examination remains an important tool in countries with limited resources, this study confirms the importance of disseminating proper information, and that more investment should be made in awareness campaigns.

A number of studies have demonstrated that bone scintigraphy has high sensitivity and efficacy in the early detection of bone metastases from several tumours, including breast cancer. Bone scintigraphy is the most definitive tool for diagnosing and monitoring metastatic spread of breast cancer. However, in the past decade there has been a wide debate on its impact on survival time, morbidity and quality of life. Worldwide economic restrictions and these studies have led to the adoption of an almost minimalist policy for breast cancer follow-up using evidence-based guidelines. The recommended breast cancer surveillance testing includes only a few procedures (history, physical and breast self-examination, patient education on symptoms, pelvic examination). The routine use of additional tests, such as blood cell count, tumour markers, liver ultrasonography, bone scan and chest X-rays, is not recommended. Accordingly, scintigraphy should be reserved for a limited number of patients. On ...

Testicular-self examination (TSE) is a cheap and easy-to-perform procedure for early detection of testicular cancer but data on this subject is lacking in Nigeria, particularly among male adolescents. To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of testicular-self examination among secondary school boys. Knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to TSE were assessed, using anonymous structured self-administered questionnaires in a sample of 540 secondary school boys aged between 15 and 20 years. Nearly all (98.7%) the male students had never heard of TSE and had hardly practiced TSE. Of the 7 students who admitted examining their testicles, none did so at the recommended level (10 or more times per year) and did not follow the standard procedure for TSE. Nearly half (47.2%) of the participants had a positive intention to start performing TSE regularly after hearing of TSE (through the questionnaire and subsequent teaching on the subject). The level of knowledge, practice an...

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Lack of early detection leads to low survival rates in less developed countries. Breast self‑examination (BSE) is a simple, quick, and cost‑free procedure for early detection. This study attempts to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding self‑breast examination in a cohort of female nursing students. Methodology: A total of 254 female nursing students were included in the study, who filled in the questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of 21 questions (10 on knowledge, 5 on attitude, and 6 on the practice). For knowledge items, categorical responses (yes, I don’t know, and no) were applied with an item score of “2,” “1,” “0,” respectively, for positive knowledge. For attitude and practice, the answers were either yes, no or options were already specified. Results: Response rate was 94.5%. Total mean knowledge score was 14.08 ± 3.42. 87.5% accepted that early detection can improve the chance of survival. 89.2% have heard of BSE and agreed that BSE can help in early detection of breast cancer. 93.3% felt it was necessary to do BSE and 87.5% have done BSE before. 5% of nursing students felt that doing BSE was embarrassing. Only 33.3% preformed BSE regularly in a year. Conclusion: BSE functions as an effective preventive health behavior and an important component of any program for the early detection of breast cancer. Nursing students, being future health advisors, should be adequately informed about early detection methods and trained in BSE.

Background: In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, breast cancer (BC) usually presents at advanced stages and more frequently in young pre-menopausal women in comparison to western countries. There is controversy surrounding the efficacy of breast self examination (BSE) for early detection of BC in countries where other methods are available. This study aims to explore the perception towards breast cancer and towards BSE among Saudi women, using the Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods: A convenient sample of adult Saudi female employees, working at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (n = 225), and their non-working adult female family members (n = 208), were subjected to the Arabic version of revised Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) and the Arabic version of Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM), to assess their knowledge and attitude on BC respectively. Percentage mean score (PMS) for each HBM domain was calculated. Significant predictors of BSE practice were identified using logistic regression analysis and significance was considered at p < 0.05. Results: The majority of women heard about BSE (91.2 %), only 41.6 % reported ever practicing BSE and 21 % performed it regularly. Reported reasons for not doing BSE were: not knowing how to examine their breast (54.9 %), or untrusting themselves able to do it (24.5 %). Women were less knowledgeable about BC in general, its risk factors, warning signs, nature and screening measures (PMS:54.2 %, 44.5 %, 61.4 %, 53.2 %, 57.6 % respectively). They reported low scores of; perceived susceptibility, seriousness, confidence and barriers (PMS: 44.8 %, 55.6 %, 56.5 % & 41.7 % respectively), and high scores of perceived benefits and motivation (PMS: 73 % & 73.2 % respectively) to perform BSE. Significant predictors of BSE performance were: levels of perceived barriers (p = 0.046) and perceived confidence (p = 0.001) to BSE, overall knowledge on BC (p < 0.001), work status (p = 0.032) and family history of BC (p = 0.011).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer afflicting women globally and in Nigeria. Breast cancer screening can reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the survival rate of breast cancer. It is expected that healthcare providers who maintain and develop the society's health, should have a higher level of knowledge, attitudes, and practice in the field of healthy behaviours. This study therefore assessed the knowledge of female healthcare providers/professionals on breast cancer, breast cancer screening services and also their awareness of the availability of these screening services in the tertiary institution where they work. The study employed a cross-sectional design. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was administered to healthcare providers of different professional backgrounds to determine their knowledge on breast cancer, screening services and also their awareness of the availability of breast cancer screening services in the hospital where they work. The findings of this study showed that majority of the healthcare providers (75.9%) had a good knowledge of breast cancer screening services, however, only few utilize the available screening services. Although more than half of the participants practice self-breast examination, only 51.7% practice it each month. Only 26.4% of the respondent has undergone clinical breast examination. Furthermore, majority (78.2%) of the respondents were aware of mammography as a screening test, however, only 9.2% of the respondents had ever undergone a mammography before. For health workers to function as effective promoters of breast cancer control through early detection, it is expedient for them to have adequate knowledge as well as appropriate attitude and belief concerning the disease and its early detection. It is therefore recommended that educational intervention be made to increase the knowledge and awareness of healthcare professionals on breast cancer.

Background Breast cancer is the leading female malignancy in Nigeria. Screening for early detection has led to reduction in mortality from the disease. It is known that attitudes of physicians and motivation by community nurses influence uptake of screening methods by women. This study aims to investigate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among a cohort of female healthcare professionals in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among 207 female doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals working in a university teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling method was employed. Chi square test, analysis of variance and Mantel-Haenszel test were performed in data analysis using SPSS v10.0 and Epi Info version 6 statistical packages. Results Female doctors obtained a mean knowledge score of 74% and were the only professional group that had satisfactory knowledge of risk factors. Majority (86%) believed that early breast cancer is curable while half of participants believed that prayer can make breast cancer disappear from the affected breast. Eighty three percent practice breast self-examination (BSE) once a month and only 8% have ever had a mammogram. Age, knowledge of risk factors, profession and beliefs were not significantly associated with rate of BSE in this study. Conclusion Results from this study suggest the need for continuing medical education programmes aimed at improving knowledge of breast cancer among female healthcare providers other than doctors.

Some women at risk for hereditary breast cancer are at increased risk of psychological distress. In order to tailor support for individual women, the availability of a tool enabling the identification of psychologically vulnerable women at an early stage is warranted. The objectives of this study were (1) to explore long-term psychological distress in women at risk for hereditary breast cancer adhering to regular surveillance, and (2) to identify women being vulnerable for long-term psychological distress, defined in terms of a multifactorial risk profile. General distress and cancer-related distress were assessed at baseline (T0) and after 5-8 years (T1) in 197 high-risk women adhering to breast cancer surveillance. Coping styles, occurrence of breast cancer in the family of origin, breast cancer risk perception, and frequency of breast self-examination, as assessed at T0, were examined as predictor variables for long-term distress (T1). Across time, women reported a significant reduction in intrusion and avoidance. Intrusion levels were increased among women who had lost a first-degree relative to breast cancer. Predictors of increased long-term distress were passive and palliative coping styles, excessive breast self-examination, and overestimation of breast cancer risk. On the other hand, coping through fostering reassuring thoughts was predictive for decreased long-term distress. On the basis of the identified risk profile, it is possible to identify vulnerable women at an early stage, who then may be offered additional and individually tailored support.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second principal cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, including Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 262 female undergraduate students in University Putra Malaysia using a validated questionnaire which was developed for this study. The mean age of respondents was 22∓2.3 years. Most of them were single (83.1%), Malay (42.3%) and 20.7% reported having a family history of breast cancer. Eighty-seven (36.7%) claimed they had practiced BSE. Motivation and self-efficacy of the respondents who performed BSE were significantly higher compared with women who did not (p&lt;0.05).There was no association between BSE practice and demographic details (p&lt;0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that women who perceived greater motivation (OR=1.089, 95%CI: 1.016-1.168) and had higher confidence of BSE (OR=1.076, 95%CI: 1.028-1.126) were more likely to perform the screening. The findings show that Malaysian young fe...

Breast cancer is the commonest type of cancer among women, and in Malaysia 50-60% of the new cases are being detected at late stages. Do age, education level, income, ethnicity, relationship with breast cancer patients and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors influence breast screening practices? This study revealed interesting but significant differences. To assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and early detection measures among women in a high risk group. A cross sectional survey of one hundred and thirty one women relatives of breast cancer patients was carried out. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, during hospital visits. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The majority of the respondents (71%) had poor knowledge of the risk factors for breast cancer. Income, relationship with a patient and practise of breast cancer screening predicted performance of mammography, R2=0.467, F=12.568, p&lt;0.0001. The finding shows ...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Jordan and on average 70% of the cases present at advanced stages. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a public educational campaign conducted by the Jordan Breast Cancer Program to improve breast health knowledge among Jordanian women and to relate their knowledge to breast health practices. The campaign was conducted in five governorates in Jordan with a total of 105 public group lectures about breast cancer focusing on early detection. The total number of participants was 2,554 women with a median age of 37 years (range: 15-73 years). Median number of women per lecture was 24 (range: 9-38). Before the lectures, the women answered a structured questionnaire about their knowledge and practices. After the intervention 2,418 of them filled a post-test questionnaire with the same content. Correct answers on the 15 knowledge questions yielded a maximum score of 15. Determinants of breast health practices were i...

The incidence of breast cancer is rising more rapidly in population groups that enjoyed a low incidence of the disease. This is a descriptive epidemiological study on knowledge and attitudes towards breast cancer and breast self examination. The study was conducted at the University of Ilorin and Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin in Northern Nigeria. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted for subject selection. Self administered questionnaire was used as the data instrument. Seven hundred and fourty respondents were recruited for the study; however seven hundred respondents completed and returned the questionnaires and were analyzed. Six hundred and eighty two (97.2%) respondents had ever heard of breast cancer. Electronic and print media were the commonest first source of information on breast cancer mentioned by the respondents. The knowledge of the respondents about breast cancer was assessed and scored. Only two hundred and fifty seven (36.7%) had good knowledge of the c...

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent cancer among women. The present study was undertaken to assess the awareness of breast cancer warning signs and screening methods among the women of Pokhara valley, Nepal. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out in a community setting with the female population. The questionnaire was administered in face-to-face interviews by trained research assistants. Nepalese women demonstrated poor awareness of warning signs like a breast lump, lump under the armpit, bleeding or discharge from the nipple, pulling of the nipple, changes in the position of the nipple, nipple rash, redness of the breast skin, changes in the size of the breast or nipple, changes in the shape of the breast or nipple, pain in the breast or armpit, and dimpling of the breast skin. While 100% of nurses were aware about breast self- examination (BSE), mammography and warning signs of breast cancer. Levels of knowledge...

Breast self-examination, clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography are important methods for the early detection of breast cancer. In this study, a nationally representative data set, the 1998 National Health Interview Survey, was used to examine the influence of CBE as a predictor of mammography utilization. The data revealed differences in the sociodemographic and health characteristics of women who had a CBE in the previous year compared with women who did not. Furthermore, a CBE in the previous year as well as other factors related to a woman&#39;s health care provider were predictors of mammography use. Opportunities for radiologic technologists to improve breast cancer detection are discussed, including the potential expansion of the scope of practice for mammography technologists.

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the knowledge and practices of 425 female secondary school teachers from 20 selected secondary schools in Selangor, Malaysia on breast cancer screening (BCS). A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used for data collection. This study showed moderate to low knowledge on breast cancer (BC) and BCS among teachers. Only 19%, 25% and 13.6% eligible women performed breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography respectively, on a regular basis. Level of breast cancer knowledge was significantly associated with BSE (p&lt;0.001). Having heard/ read about BCS, and regular visit with a physician were associated with BCS behaviors (P&lt;0.05). There was no association between BCS behaviors (P&gt;0.05) and age, family history of breast cancer, marital status or having health insurance. Efforts are needed to increase knowledge and remove misconceptions about breast cancer and screening practices am...