Perception of breast cancer and self-breast examination practices among women in Lucknow, north India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20240265Keywords:
Awareness, Breast cancer, Breast self-examination, Practices, Risk factors, ScreeningAbstract
Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among women worldwide. It is one of the prime health issues in developed and developing countries because of the high prevalence of known risk factors. In the present study, we assess the knowledge of breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) screening practices among women in the capital city, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, North India.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in urban and rural areas of Lucknow. The period of study was one year, starting from December 2020 to November 2021. Data were obtained from 400 adult women (212 rural and 193 urban) using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. Participants aged >20 years were randomly selected from two rural and two urban community health centres (CHCs). The questionnaire assessed respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, risk factors, signs and symptoms, early detection methods, and knowledge and practices related to self-breast examination among women in Lucknow.
Results: Out of 400 respondents, only 33.5% (rural) and 55.96% (urban) women had heard of breast cancer. 17.55% (rural) and 13.47% (urban) women had heard about BSE. 4.72% (rural) and 8.81% (urban) women practice BSE occasionally. Knowledge about breast cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, and screening methods was similarly poor in women of Lucknow.
Conclusions: This finding correlated significantly with older age, higher levels of education, and occupation. There is a low level of awareness of breast cancer in Lucknow's urban and rural areas. BSE is hardly practiced, though the willingness to learn it is high.
References
World Health Organization. Cancer. https://www.who.int/health-topics/cancer. Accessed 9 February 2023.
Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209-49.
Philip SJ. The Hindu. Stage zero breast cancer, 2019. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/stage-zero-breast-cancer/article26173306.ece. Accessed 9 February, 2023.
Malvia S, Bagadi SA, Dubey US, Saxena S. Epidemiology of breast cancer in Indian women. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2017;13(4):289-295.
Gangane N, Ng N, Sebastian MS. Women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices about breast cancer in a rural district of central India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(16):6863-70.
Dahiya N, Basu S, Singh MC, 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.
Pandey VK, Aggarwal P, Kakkar R. Modified BG Prasad socio-economic classification, update - 2019. Ind J Comm Heal. 2019;31(1):150-2.
Paul S, Solanki PP, Shahi UP, Srikrishna S. Epidemiological study on breast cancer associated risk factors and screening practices among women in the holy city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(18):8163-71.
Johnson RH, Anders CK, Litton JK, Ruddy KJ, Bleyer A. Breast cancer in adolescents and young adults. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2018;65(12):e27397.
Khalid A, Hassnain S, Gakhar H, Khalid B, Zulfiqar F, Wahaj A. Breast cancer among young girls: a KAP study conducted in Lahore. Int J Sci Rep. 2018;4(6):166.
Sahu D, Subba S, Giri P. Cancer awareness and attitude towards cancer screening in India: A narrative review. J Fam Med Prim Care. 2020;9(5):2214.
Madhukumar S, Thambiran UR, Basavaraju B, Bedadala MR. A study on awareness about breast carcinoma and practice of breast self-examination among basic sciences’ college students, Bengaluru. J Fam Med Prim Care. 2017;6(3):487-90.
Bala DV, Gameti H. An educational intervention study of breast self examination (BSE) in 250 women beneficiaries of urban health centers of west Zone of Ahmedabad. Heal J Indian Assoc Prev Soc Med. 2011;2(2):46-49.
Atashgaran V, Wrin J, Barry SC, Dasari P, Ingman WV. Dissecting the biology of menstrual cycle-associated breast cancer risk. Front Oncol. 2016;6:267.
Breast cancer and breastfeeding: collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30 countries, including 50 302 women with breast cancer and 96 973 women without the disease. Lancet. 2002;360(9328):187-95.
Khokhar A. Level of awareness regarding breast cancer and its screening amongst Indian teachers. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2009;10(2):247-50.
Paunikar AP, Khadilkar HA, Doibale MK, Kuril BM. Knowledge, attitude and practices of women towards breast cancer in the field practice area of urban health training centre, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Int J Commu Med Public Health. 2017;4(10):3659.
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.
Somdatta P, Baridalyne N. Awareness of breast cancer in women of an urban resettlement colony. Indian J Cancer. 2008;45(4):149-53.
Madhu B, Shankar P. Awareness and screening behaviors of breast cancer among urban women in Mysuru, India- need for breast health education program. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2017;4(8):2967.
Bassil KL, Vakil C, Sanborn M, Cole DC, Kaur JS, Kerr KJ. Cancer health effects of pesticides: systematic review. Can Fam Physician Med Fam Can. 2007;53(10):1704-11.
Sehrawat JS, Garima, Mor S. Knowledge, beliefs and practices about breast cancer and its self-examination procedure among urban and rural women of district Gurdaspur, Punjab, India: a cross sectional study. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016;4(1):120.
Khodarahmi M, Azadbakht L. The association between different kinds of fat intake and breast cancer risk in women. Int J Prev Med. 2014;5(1):6-15.
Picon-Ruiz M, Morata-Tarifa C, Valle-Goffin JJ, Friedman ER, Slingerland JM. Obesity and adverse breast cancer risk and outcome: Mechanistic insights and strategies for intervention. CA Cancer J Clin. 2017;67(5):378-97.
Naaman SC, Shen S, Zeytinoglu M, Iyengar NM. Obesity and breast cancer risk: the oncogenic implications of metabolic dysregulation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022;107(8):2154-66.
Pal A, Taneja N, Malhotra N, Shankar R, Chawla B, Awasthi AA, et al. Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards breast cancer and its screening among women in India: A systematic review. J Cancer Res Ther. 2021;17(6):1314-21.
