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Aga SS, Yasmeen N, Al-Mansour M, Khan MA, Nissar S, Khawaji B, Awadh A, Alasmari MM, Abushouk A. Knowledge, awareness and attitude towards breast cancer: Risk factors, signs and screening among Health and Allied students: A prospective study. J Family Med Prim Care 2024; 13:1804-1824. [PMID: 38948630 PMCID: PMC11213396 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1720_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer in Saudi women. Therefore, understanding BC and its related risk factors, symptoms, and screening is critical for early detection and intervention. The current study was meant to explore the knowledge, awareness, and attitude (KAA) gap in BC: risk factors, symptoms, and screening. Material and Methods This cross-sectional investigation was carried out with Health Professions Students (HPS) using a predesigned and validated study questionnaire to examine HPS knowledge and attitudes concerning BC and associated risk factors, symptoms, and screening. Results A total of 277 female students responded to the survey. The frequency of correct answers for the BC knowledge questions varied from the lowest of 27.8% to the highest of 88.8%, with only 5 out of 15 questions (33.3%) answered correctly by more than 60% of the participants, displaying poor knowledge and awareness of BC. A majority (>60%) of the participants identified only 7 of the 18 risk factors of BC correctly, whereas 11 of the 13 early warning signs of BC were identified correctly by the majority (>60%) of the participants. Among the participants, only 26.4% were aware of the breast cancer screening center, but 94.6% of them agreed that early detection of breast cancer is important and 82.7% agreed to participate in the screening program if offered. Conclusion Participants' knowledge and awareness of BC were found to be relatively low; however, their attitudes towards BC screening were positive. As a result, it is critical to develop effective education programs, curricular activities, and awareness campaigns to address the lack of awareness of BC and to have an appropriate response to screening to reduce disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed S. Aga
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Molecular Diseases and Diagnostics Division, Infinity Biochemistry Pvt. Ltd, Sajjad Abad, Chattabal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
| | - Nusrath Yasmeen
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Nursing, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mubarak Al-Mansour
- Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Adult Medical Oncology, Princess Noorah Oncology Center, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad A. Khan
- Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saniya Nissar
- Molecular Diseases and Diagnostics Division, Infinity Biochemistry Pvt. Ltd, Sajjad Abad, Chattabal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
| | - Bader Khawaji
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Awadh
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moudi M. Alasmari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amir Abushouk
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Dzidzornu E, Angmorterh SK, Aboagye S, Angaag NA, Agyemang PN, Edwin F. Communication Channels of Breast Cancer Screening Awareness Campaigns Among Women Presenting for Mammography in Ghana. J Am Coll Radiol 2024:S1546-1440(24)00359-4. [PMID: 38599362 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The channels and content of communication play an integral role in creating breast cancer screening awareness. Although breast cancer screening awareness campaigns are increasing in Ghana, no study has been conducted to investigate the communication channels used by these campaigns. This study aimed to identify the most effective source of breast cancer screening awareness information among women presenting for mammography in Ghana. METHODS Ethical approval was sought before data collection. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was adopted for the study and involved 192 women who visited two mammography centers in October 2020 for mammography screening. A self-administered closed-ended questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out using SPSS version 26. RESULTS A total of 192 responses were obtained. Of them, 72 (37.5%) participants had diploma/Higher National Diploma/degree education, with 105 (54.7%) of them being traders or nonprofessionals. All participants had heard of mammography screening and examination before this study. Mass media was the most common source of information on mammography screening (86 [44.8%]), of which radio was the highest subcategory (34 [39.5%]). Moreover, women presenting for mammography in Ghana demonstrated a high level of knowledge of breast cancer screening. DISCUSSION Mass media is the most common source of information on breast cancer screening awareness in Ghana and has the potential to positively impact sensitization programs by reaching out to more women. There is a need to engage the Ghanaian population using mass media and health facilities to maximize the impact of breast cancer screening awareness campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Dzidzornu
- Department of Medical Imaging, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Seth Kwadjo Angmorterh
- Department of Medical Imaging, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
| | - Sonia Aboagye
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Nathaniel Awentiirin Angaag
- Department of Medical Imaging, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Patience Nyamekye Agyemang
- Department of Medical Imaging, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Frank Edwin
- School of Medicine, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
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Jain S, Narang V, Jain K, Paul D, Singh J, Sohi AS, Sood S, Aggarwal R, Sood N, Brar GS. Prevalence of Molecular Subtypes in Operated Cases of Breast Cancer and Its Clinicopathological Correlation: A Single Institute Study from a Tertiary Cancer Centre in North India. Indian J Surg Oncol 2021; 12:538-544. [PMID: 34658582 DOI: 10.1007/s13193-021-01374-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer has emerged as a major health problem among women in India. There are few Indian studies which have looked at prevalence of molecular subtypes of breast cancer in Indian population. The primary objective of our study was to find out the prevalence of various molecular subtypes in operated cases of breast cancer patients presenting to us. Three hundred sixty patients who were operated in our department were analysed. Clinicopathological features of all cases were recorded. Classification into various molecular subtypes was done using St. Gallen 2013 criteria. Luminal B HER2 negative was the predominant molecular subtype in our study population constituting 30.3% of patients. The percentage of aggressive subtypes, viz. triple negative breast cancer and HER2 enriched, were 21.7% and 11.4% respectively. Only 19.4% of patients in our study population had tumour size ≤ 2 cm with nodes being positive in 56.9% of our patients at presentation. Data from our study and other studies published from India show that the two most aggressive subtypes of, viz. triple negative breast cancer and HER2 enriched, may be more prevalent in our population as compared to western population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumeet Jain
- Department of Surgical Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Vikram Narang
- Department of Pathology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, India
| | - Kunal Jain
- Department of Medical Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Davinder Paul
- Department of Medical Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Jagdeep Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | | | - Sandhya Sood
- Department of Radiation Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Ritu Aggarwal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Neena Sood
- Department of Pathology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, India
| | - G S Brar
- Department of Surgical Oncology, DMCH Cancer Care Centre, Ludhiana, India
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Bajaj K, Ravi A, Thakur U, Mishra A, Khare S. Awareness about breast cancer in first-year junior residents at a tertiary care institute in India: A cross-sectional study. Med J Armed Forces India 2021; 77:S208-S214. [PMID: 33612955 DOI: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Primary physicians have a very important role in identifying early breast cancer, as well as promotion of awareness about breast cancer to general public. However, there is insufficient data about the knowledge of doctors, who have just finished their basic medical training, on breast cancer. Methods All the postgraduate residents who had joined within the last 3 months, irrespective of the department, were invited to take part in the study. After explaining the aims of the study telephonically, consent was taken through online signatures and the participants were asked to fill online proformas. Descriptive statistics were used, and chi-square test was used to compare groups. P value of less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Results A total of 106 participants took part in the study. Only 63 (59.4%) participants had satisfactory knowledge about the warning signs of breast cancer. Apart from question of ideal frequency of breast examination, which was answered by 59 (55.7%) participants, the rest of the questions were answered correctly by less than 50% of participants. On the questions on risk factors, 102 (96.5%) of the participants were assessed to have adequate knowledge. Overall only 51 (48.1%) participants were assessed to have satisfactory knowledge about warning signs, screening and risk factors related to breast cancer. Conclusions The awareness about warning signs, risk factors and screening practices of breast cancer in newly joined residents was less than satisfactory. To improve this level of awareness, significant steps are needed at the level of undergraduate teaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kapil Bajaj
- Senior Resident (General Surgery), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashwitha Ravi
- Senior Resident (General Surgery), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Uttam Thakur
- Senior Resident (General Surgery), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Aniket Mishra
- Junior Resident (General Surgery), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Siddhant Khare
- Assistant Professor (General Surgery), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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Ahmed SB, Amer S, Hussein A, D. Kampani D, Al Hasham N, M. Assker M, Shawa N, Saleh D, Alfarouk KO. Assessing the Knowledge of Environmental Risk Factors for Cancer among the UAE Population: A Pilot Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17092984. [PMID: 32344867 PMCID: PMC7246594 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17092984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide as well as in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Currently, researchers are advocating not only for prevention programs but also for early detection. In this study, we aimed to assess the general awareness of cancer among the UAE population, with a focus on environmental risk factors. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 385 participants. A total of 91.2% of the study population identified cancer as the leading cause of death, while 64.6% of the subjects were able to identify the key causes of cancer. A total of 87.3% and 70.5% of the participants were able to define tobacco and alcohol, respectively, as cancer-causing agents. Most of the study population failed to identify cancer-related infectious agents and incense smoke as carcinogens. Respondents in the medical professions had the highest knowledge score when compared with respondents with a non-medical profession and unemployed participants (p < 0.0005). To fill the gaps in cancer-related knowledge, participants were asked about their preferred method for cancer education, and 83.9% of the participants favored the media as a source of information. Conclusively, our findings indicated a gap in cancer knowledge among UAE residents, which highlights the importance of educational campaigns by health authorities; a follow-up study evaluating the success of educational campaigns is also warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrein B.M. Ahmed
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE;
- Correspondence:
| | - Sara Amer
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Amal Hussein
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Drishti D. Kampani
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Nour Al Hasham
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Mohamed M. Assker
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Nour Shawa
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE;
| | - Dima Saleh
- College of medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE; (S.A.); (A.H.); (D.D.K.); (N.A.H.); (M.M.A.); (D.S.)
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Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening among female health care professionals: a cross sectional study. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2019; 19:122. [PMID: 31640681 PMCID: PMC6806575 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-019-0819-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Incidence of breast cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has increased in recent years. Screening helps in early detection of cancer and early diagnosis and timely treatment of breast cancer lead to a better prognosis. Women in the healthcare profession can have a positive impact on the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of general public. Therefore, it is important that the healthcare workers themselves have adequate knowledge and positive attitudes. We conducted a study to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening among female healthcare professionals. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted on female health professional of KFMC (King Fahad Medical City). Data was collected using a pre-designed, tested, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included specific sections to test the participants' knowledge, attitude, and practices related to cervical cancer and its screening. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. RESULTS A total of 395 health care workers participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 34.7 years. Participants included physicians (n = 63, 16.0%), nurses (n = 261, 66.1%), and allied health workers (n = 71, 18.0%). Only 6 (1.5%) participants had a good level of knowledge of breast cancer and 104 (26.8%) participants demonstrated a fair level of knowledge. Overall, 370 (93.7%), 339 (85.8%), and 368 (93.2%) participants had heard of breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography, respectively. A total of 295 (74.7%) participants reported practicing breast self-examination, 95 (24.1%) had undergone clinical breast examination, and 74 (18.7%) had ever undergone mammography. CONCLUSION The knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening were found to be lower than expected. Active steps are required to develop educational programs for the health care staff, which might empower them to spread the knowledge and positively influence the attitudes of female patients in the hospital.
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