Awareness of breast cancer risk factors and screening among females in the general population in Saudi Arabia 2023

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of malignancy among females worldwide. It is the main contributor to female cancer-related mortality and disability. The most common kind of cancer in women in Saudi Arabia is BC. A few studies have been conducted to address BC awareness, risk factors, and screening. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the level of awareness of BC screening and risk factors among females in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study will be a cross-sectional study, targeting adult females in Riyadh city. In July and August 2023, data will be collected through a paper-based questionnaire scoring. In a sample of 300 females, data will be analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: A total of 308 females completed the questionnaire. The majority of participants (45.8) were 40 years old and above and most were primary, middle, or high school (43.8) education level. Healthcare providers (19.2) and housewives (16.6) were the major participants regarding occupation. The majority of participants (75.6) were Saudi and (43.5) were from the central region. More than half of the women (56.2) were married. Most of the participants had no family history of BC (56.8%) and had no personal history of breast lump (63.6%). The majority were not diagnosed with BC (61.7%). The most reported risk factor was exposure to high doses of radiation (52.9) followed by family history (45.1) and personal history. Regarding the knowledge of screening methods, breast self-examination (BSE) was the most familiar method (57.1%), followed by mammography (56.8%) and clinical breast exam (52.3%). Out of the 308 participants, 42.86% have poor knowledge about screening for BC. Among demographic characteristics, age, and education level were significantly associated with the knowledge of screening (0.001). There was statistical significance between nationality and knowledge of screening (0.005). There was statistical significance between the region and knowledge of screening (0.001), and there was statistical significance between the occupation and knowledge of screening (0.037). Conclusion: The study found that females have insufficient general understanding of BC. These data indicate the need for immediate initiatives to increase female knowledge of BC and BSE.