Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 116 (1997)A Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Women toward Breast Self-ExaminationStudent Authors: Iman Ahmed Rashed Saif Al-ZaabiFaculty Supervisors: Prof. O. Lloyd, Dr. A. BenerAbstract:Objectives To determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of women towardbreast self-examination and if these were influenced by the age, family history ofbreast cancer, and the educational level of the women as well as the husbands.Methods Design: Women of 30 years of age and above attending the surgical andmedical outpatient clinics were selected. Data was collected in a pretestedquestionnaire. The study was conducted in Egypt (Cairo), Kaser Al-Aini Hospital.Results This study involved 104 women with their age ranged from 30-68. Only 43%heard about breast self-examination (BSE) and about 91% knew the benefit of BSE. itwas found that the educational level of the husband and the family history of breastcancer were significantly influenced the knowledge of the women. Those women hadfairly good attitude toward BSE that was significantly influenced by the family historyof breast cancer. Only 42% of those heard about BSE practice it regularly.Conclusion Knowledge of BSE is still inadequate among women in the developingworld. Therefore, more efforts from the medical and health professionals are neededto improve the knowledge and to explore the importance of BSE in reducing the risk ofbreast cancer.