Breast and cervical cancer knowledge and awareness among university students.

90 Use of the Health Belief Model in screening methods for colorectal cancer

Cervical and breast cancer is the most leading cause of death among women globally. Cervical and breast cancer can be cured if detected early. The aim of the study was to compare the knowledge and awareness of cervical and breast cancer among medical and nonmedical students of a private institution in South India. A cross-sectional study was done on 600 female students of a private institution comprising both medical and nonmedical for a period of 6 months. A study was done to assess the awareness and knowledge on cervical and breast cancer by using a standardized questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed with Mann-Whitney test by using GraphPad prism. Out of the 600 female students, there were each of 300 female students in medical and nonmedical. Majority of the student population was seen in 17-19 years: 143 (47.6%) in medical and 206 (68.6%) in nonmedical. A total of 235 (78.3%) medical students have heard of cervical cancer and its screening (164 [54.6%]). Many nonmedical students have never heard of cervical cancer (248 [82.6%]) and its screening (283 [94.3%]). Nearly 61% of the medical students and 1.1% nonmedical have heard of Pap smear. Both medical students (276 [92%]) and nonmedical students (179 [53.2%]) were aware of the breast cancer but have less awareness about the age of occurrence. Awareness on breast self-examination was poor among medical (137 [45.6%]) and nonmedical (19 [5.6%]) students. The P < 0.0001 (<0.05) showed a statistically significant difference between the medical and nonmedical students. Through the findings of our study, we analyzed that the knowledge and awareness of cervical and breast cancer among medical students was better than that of the nonmedical students.

IntroductionCancer, particularly breast cancer, is a major contributor to mortality and a significant impediment to life expectancy. In 2020, breast cancer accounted for 11.7% of all cancer cases and caused approximately 685,000 deaths worldwide, surpassing lung cancer in prevalence. The study aims to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on breast cancer awareness among pharmacy students by comparing their understanding before and after the program.MethodA pre-post quasi-experimental study was designed to assess knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, breast self-examination (BSE) practices, and attitudes toward breast cancer among female university students in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants completed a pre-session questionnaire, attended an awareness workshop and video tutorial, and then completed a post-session questionnaire 2 weeks later.ResultsOf 1,200 participants, 1,015 of them completed both the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Key demographic features included 83.9% of the participants being in the 18–24 age group, 26.8% being married, and only 14.2% having a family history of breast cancer. Before the intervention, 60.7% of the participants were not involved in regular breast self-exams due to a lack of awareness. Post-intervention results showed a significant increase in awareness, with 35.9% rising to 94.9%. The use of screening methods increased from 46.7 to 94.8%. Knowledge of breast cancer improved from 51.2 to 96.7%, and the general perception rose from 48.2 to 93.4%. Attitudes toward self-examination also shifted positively, indicating a significant change in perception.Interpretation and conclusionThe study concludes the baseline knowledge of breast cancer among female students was inadequate but improved significantly from over 40% to over 90% following the educational intervention. The intervention positively influenced the general perception and attitudes toward breast cancer. These findings highlight the need for regular educational sessions to enhance awareness, improve healthcare outcomes, and reduce mortality rates, particularly in developing countries.

6 Background: Cervical cancer is causing a burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with human papillomavirus (HPV) identified as the necessary cause of cervical cancer. HPV mainly affects young women, which puts female university students at risk of cervical cancer. Knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and HPV in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, is poor. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and HPV in University of Gondar medicine and health science female students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to May 30, 2016, at University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia. Undergraduate female students from 11 different health-related departments at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences were included in the study. A 14-item, paper-based, self-administered questionnaire was provided to each of the participants to measure her level of knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and HPV. Results: A total of 267 female students participated in the study, with ages ranging from 18 to 24 years (mean age, 20.58 ± 1.22 years). More than one half of participants (59.6%) stated that they did not know the main cause of cervical cancer, whereas only approximately one fifth (19.5%) identified HPV as the main cause of cervical cancer. As many as 83.9% of participants did not know other causes of cervical cancer. Binary logistic analysis revealed that students from midwifery (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 14.14; P &lt; .05), anesthesiology (AOR, 9.66; P &lt; .05), and medicine (AOR, 5.84; P &lt; .05) departments were associated with knowledge of the main cause of cervical cancer. Furthermore, fifth-year students (AOR, 16.94; P &lt; .05) and fourth-year students (AOR, 8.32; P &lt; .05) were found to have better knowledge of the main cause of cervical cancer. Only a few students (15%) had been vaccinated for HPV or had had a cervical smear test performed in the past. Conclusion: Cervical cancer mainly affects young women, which puts female university students at risk of cervical cancer. Hence, assessing the knowledge and awareness of these students will be of paramount importance to designing effective measures to increase their knowledge and awareness of the disease. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No COIs from the authors.

Background Breast and cervical cancers are the most prevalent cancers among women in Namibia, with a prevalence of 28.9% and 18.3%, respectively, in 2020. However, the knowledge and attitudes of Namibian women toward breast and cervical cancers are not documented, as this is essential for early detection and improved treatment outcomes. Aim This study explored the knowledge and attitudes regarding these cancers among women aged 18 and above in Windhoek, Khomas Region. Methods A mixed‐methods cross‐sectional random sampling study was conducted from November 2024 to March 2025 across all eight constituencies of Windhoek. A questionnaire was used to document demographic information, knowledge, and awareness of breast and cervical cancer, cancer screening habits, and barriers to screening. Multivariable logistic regression was used for data analysis. Results A total of 232 females participated in the study, of which 93.5% and 95.3% reported having heard of breast and cervical cancer, respectively. Among those who were aware, 35.3% underwent breast cancer screening, while 34.5% had been screened for cervical cancer. Knowledge regarding the causes, symptoms, and prevention of both cancers was moderate to high. Education level was a significant predictor of awareness and screening behavior. Women with tertiary education (73.7%) were four times more likely to have heard of breast cancer (OR = 4.0; 95% CI: 2.8–5.7; p &lt; 0.001) and twice as likely to have heard of cervical cancer (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5–2.7; p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Public awareness campaigns regarding early screening are crucial to improve awareness and knowledge regarding breast and cervical cancers among Namibian women.

The incidence of cervical cancer (CCA) in Guam, a U.S. territory in the Western Pacific, is six times higher among Micronesians and over three times higher for CHamorus (Guam's indigenous people) and Caucasians living in Guam than the U.S. population. Educational interventions among college students who can still get the HPV vaccine, particularly among women below and about the age for initial CCA screening, is crucial. Our team designed and delivered a 20-30 minute presentation to college students in a classroom setting. Pre- and post-tests measured changes in knowledge and attitudes about CCA. Summary variables were computed for CCA and HPV Knowledge and Awareness. McNemar's test was used to compare knowledge and attitudes before and after the presentation. A total of 108 students completed the survey. Most participants were female (63.0%), juniors (44.4%), and identified as either CHamoru (36.1%) or Filipino (26.9%). A majority had a regular source of healthcare (77.8%), a primary physician (56.5%), and private health insurance (52.8%). Results show male and female students had similar pre- and posttest scores. Among ethnic groups, Caucasians had the highest pretest scores and non-CHamoru Pacific Islanders had the lowest. All ethnic groups had statistically significant increases in CCA Knowledge and Awareness scores after the presentation. Three individual one-way ANOVAs with gender, ethnicity and class level as the factors were performed using the different total scores of the CCA and HPV Knowledge and Awareness as the dependent variables. There was no significant difference interaction between gender (F=0.498, p=0.482), class level (F=0.371, p=0.774), or ethnicity (F=0.398, p=0.810). However, the results showed a significant main effect of Time on CCA Knowledge and Awareness (p&amp;lt;0.001). There was a significant increase for all independent variables in CCA and HPV Knowledge and Awareness from pre- to post-test. The McNemar test shows that there are significant positive differences in the proportion of correct responses to most of the questions between the pre- and posttest. The percentage of correct answers to questions related to symptoms and causes of CCA, the increased risk caused by HPV, and the prevention of CCA through routine screening was already high at pretest so the difference was not significant. Overall, study participants perceived the presentation an effective tool to educate individuals about CCA. Before the presentation, 63.9% rated their general knowledge about CC as neutral or unknowledgeable. After the presentation, this decreased to 11.1%. This type of educational intervention for CCA is critical for this age group, since most can still get the HPV vaccine and women are at the age of initial CCA screening. This study shows that the college setting is an appropriate venue to increase CCA and HPV awareness and potentially impact HPV vaccination for females. Future studies should test presentation paired with opportunities for HPV vaccination via college or public health services. Citation Format: Lilnabeth P. Somera, Tressa P. Diaz, Angelina Mummert, Jaeyung Choi, Kristian Ayson, Grazyna Badowski. Cervical cancer and HPV knowledge and awareness: An educational intervention among college students in Guam [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-068.

Background: Breast cancer still a major cause of disability and mortality among women throughout the world. Lack of awareness and early detection programs in developing countries is a main reason for escalating the mortality.&#x0D; Objectives: to assess level of awareness about breast cancer among university female students in Baghdad focusing on knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, warning symptoms and signs and knowledge about the screening method specially breast self-examination.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted over two months from first of march through April 2015 and included (240) female students in non- medical colleges at Al-Rusafa and Al-Karkh districts who completed a comprehensive self-structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics and (27) questions covering the knowledge of risk factors; warning symptoms and signs of breast cancer and the breast self- examination. Participants’ responses were analyzed statistically and percent score of knowledge level was calculated.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of students was (22.8 ± 3.4) years with range (19-30) years, single (75.8%), and those with no family history of breast cancer (85.42%); the internet was the most common source of students’ information (34.7%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The overall percent score of all students’ knowledge about risk factors, warning symptoms and signs and breast self-examination was poor (&lt;60%).

Early diagnosis of breast cancer is the best approach towards its control that may result in alleviating related mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge about breast cancer and both practices and perceived barriers to breast self-examination among female university students in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 400 female students of Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Participants were sampled from female dormitories at the university from January to April 2020. Proportionate stratified random sampling was conducted to calculate the study sample from each dormitory. A validated semi-structured self-reported questionnaire was employed to collect data from participants during the survey periods. The questionnaire consisted of demographic variables, items about knowledge about breast cancer, breast self-examination practices and its barriers. We applied descriptive and inferential statistics and data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Participants were aged between 18–26 years and comprised university students of first year (20%), second year (24%), third year (22%), fourth year (21%) and Master’s (14%). 18% of them reported positive family history (mother, aunt, sister/cousin, grandmother) of breast cancer. The overall mean score of total knowledge items was 15 (SD = 3) out of 43, with an overall correct rate of 34%. The mean score of total knowledge items was significantly higher (p<0.001) among Master’s students and students with family members who have had breast cancer. Only one in five students (21%) ever practiced breast self-examination. The mean score of practice of breast self-examination was significantly higher (p<0.001) among participants who reported having family member of breast cancer. Total knowledge score about breast cancer and practice of breast self-examination were significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.54; p<0.001). About 33% participants reported ‘lack of knowledge’ as the main barrier to practicing breast self-examination followed by ‘I do not have the symptoms’ (22%), and ‘shyness/ uncomfortable feelings’ (17%). The study revealed low levels of knowledge about breast cancer and low breast self-examination practices. Our findings highlight the need to develop, implement and promote socially, culturally and demographically appropriate educational interventions programs aimed at breast cancer and breast self-examination awareness and practice in Bangladesh.

ABSTRACTBackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide; early detection improves prognosis while reducing mortality and morbidity.AimsThis study evaluates awareness, knowledge, and health‐seeking behaviors related to breast cancer among women attending Bibiani Municipal Hospital in Ghana, where data on awareness is scarce.Methods and ResultsThis cross‐sectional study involved 160 women attending the Bibiani Municipal Hospital. Validated questionnaires were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, awareness and knowledge of breast cancer, breast self‐examination (BSE), and health‐seeking behaviors. Categorical variables were presented as frequency and percentages. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of adequate knowledge of breast cancer. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 26.0) and GraphPad Prism (version 8.0). p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Most participants were within 36–50 years (47.5%) and had no formal education (30.6%). Only 14.4% reported a family history of breast cancer. The majority (87.5%) were aware of breast cancer. However, only about 44% and 46% exhibited adequate knowledge regarding the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of breast cancer. The majority identified obesity (87.5%) and family history (80.6%) of breast cancer as risk factors, while most participants also identified a lump (68.1%) and pain (60%) in the breast as signs and symptoms. Education, employment status, age, and awareness of breast cancer were significantly associated with knowledge of breast cancer (p < 0.05). Only 47.5% were familiar with BSE, and BSE was performed by just 35.5% of participants. The majority (74.4%) indicated they would seek immediate help for a breast lump.ConclusionDespite high awareness of breast cancer, knowledge of its risk factors and the signs and symptoms was lacking, with over half unaware of breast self‐examination (BSE). Health education campaigns by women‐friendly organizations are crucial to improving awareness of symptoms, risk factors, and BSE in the Bibiani municipality.

Assessing the level of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about Ebola virus disease among college students

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer and breast cancer screening among female medical students, healthcare workers, and hospital employees. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1, 2021, to October 30, 2021. A questionnaire on breast cancer awareness and self-breast examination was distributed to female medical students across all five years at Fatimah Jinnah Medical University, Lahore, and to female hospital employees at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. A total of 404 women participated and were included in the study. Results: Out of the respondents, 71.2% were medical students, and 26.7% were doctors. Approximately 24% reported a family history of breast cancer. Media was identified as the primary source of information on breast cancer by 79.2% of women. Only 64.9% of respondents practiced self-breast examination, with merely 23.8% performing it monthly. Furthermore, only 37.1% correctly identified all the essential steps for conducting a breast self-examination. Conclusion: While the knowledge of breast cancer is satisfactory among healthcare workers and hospital employees, there is room for improvement in attitudes and practices related to early detection and screening. Initiatives should be undertaken by medical undergraduate curriculum coordinators to incorporate breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, and screening guidelines in both pre-clinical and clinical years of medical education. Additionally, information dissemination programs should be implemented in hospitals for all employees.

Prevention strategies for reducing cervical cancer incidence rely on informed populations, particularly those most at risk. This study assesses the knowledge and awareness of female university students towards cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccination. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used in a descriptive cross-sectional study among female university students. The data were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26, andp 0.05 was considered significant. The total participants were 190 with a mean age of 22.6 ± 4.35 years. The majority (90%) were aware of cervical cancer, and 78.9% agreed it is a terminal illness, but fewer participants knew it was associated with infection (63.7%), and that it had effective risk-reducing methods (70.5%). Only 32.6% were aware of the Pap smear test, less than half (43.2%) were aware of the cervical cancer vaccine and only 43.7% knew it was available locally. Although fewer (39.5%) considered themselves susceptible to cervical cancer, many (62.1%) would like a Pap smear test. Overall, 88.9% of the participants possessed adequate knowledge of cervical cancer, 67.9% of the HPV vaccine and only 33.7% of HPV. Ethnicity (p= 0.03), year of study (p= 0.001) and institution (p= 0.002) were all significantly associated with knowledge levels, vaccine awareness and Pap smear test awareness. Participants showed low HPV knowledge and varying awareness levels regarding cervical cancer, HPV and HPV vaccine.Contribution:This study provides insights into female university students' knowledge and awareness gaps, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Background: Awareness and knowledge of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) are consistently poor in low-resource settings. In addition, there is insufficient evidence about young people’s knowledge and understanding of cervical cancer, risk factors, screening and HPV vaccination in these countries. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of students studying at a university in Somalia regarding cervical cancer and how to prevent it. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at a private university in Mogadishu, Somalia, between January and March 2021. The sample of study consisted of a total of 220 female students. The data of the study were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 32 questions evaluating the knowledge and attitudes of the students regarding cervical cancer, HPV and the HPV vaccine. Results: In the study, 59.1% of the participants stated that they had previously heard of cervical cancer, 69.1% did not know that it was fatal, 49.1% stated that it was preventable, 48.2% did not know the causes of cervical cancer, and 2.7% had a family history of cervical cancer. In addition, it was determined that 75.9% of the participants did not know that HPV caused cervical cancer. When the knowledge of the participants about HPV and the HPV vaccine was examined, it was determined that 55% of them had not previously heard of HPV. When asked about how HPV is transmitted they stated that this occurred through kissing (73.2%), sexual intercourse (58.2%) and using items owned by individuals infected with HPV (41.8%). None of the participants had received the HPV vaccine. Of these, 72.3% stated that they had not been vaccinated because they did not know about the vaccine. According to 40.9% of the participants, both boys and girls should be vaccinated; however, 63.6% stated that they did not know at what age individuals should receive a vaccine. In addition, 71.4% of participants said they did not know that the HPV vaccine protects against HPV-related sexually transmitted diseases. There was a statistically significant relationship only between the participants’ financial status and the awareness variable (p &lt; 0.05). It was concluded that the awareness of those participants whose economic situation was good was statistically high. Conclusions: This was our first study on the subject in Somalia and it revealed that the level of knowledge of female university students studying in the field of health sciences regarding cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine and prevention methods were insufficient, as were the vaccination rates. In future research, the reasons for these inadequacies should be revealed through more comprehensive studies.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent form of cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accounting for 11% of all female cancers. It is considered to be a progressive disease with a poor prognosis if detected late. The low level of knowledge and practice of breast self-examination is an important method of prevention. The study was aimed at assessing the knowledge of breast cancer and practice of Breast Self-Examination (BSE) among female secondary school students in Riyadh city. Material & Methods : A cross-sectional descriptive correlation design was used in this study. A representative probability sample was recruited (Sample Size = 917 Students). A selfadministered questionnaire was prepared by the researcher. It consists of four parts. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software package (version 16) for data entry and analysis. Results: The results of the study indicated that none of the secondary school students had an excellent knowledge regarding breast cancer; 98.8% of the participants had a fair level of knowledge about breast cancer. The mass media was the most common source of information about breast cancer. The majority of participants did not perform breast self-examination 80.8%; only 3.4% perform (BSE) on monthly basis. There was a statistically significant relation between level of breast cancer knowledge and secondary school type, nationality, family history of breast cancer and secondary school levels but there was no significant relation between knowledge of breast cancer and age groups, marital status and family income level. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a negative family history of breast cancer was a significant predictor for lower scores on the level of knowledge of breast cancer. However, age group, family history of breast cancer were significant predictors of performance of breast self-examination. Conclusions : This study revealed that most of the female secondary school students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia had very low knowledge about breast cancer. We recommended developing a health educational program about breast cancer for students, teachers and the community, to raise awareness.

The evidence on the relation of family history of cancers other than breast cancer to breast cancer risk is conflicting, and most studies have not assessed specific breast cancer subtypes. We assessed the relation of first-degree family history of breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, ovarian, and cervical cancer and lymphoma or leukemia, to the risk of estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)), ER(-), and triple-negative breast cancer in data from the African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk Consortium. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI). There were 3,023 ER(+) and 1,497 ER(-) breast cancer cases (including 696 triple-negative cases) and 17,420 controls. First-degree family history of breast cancer was associated with increased risk of each subtype: OR = 1.76 (95% CI, 1.57-1.97) for ER(+), 1.67 (1.42-1.95) for ER(-), and 1.72 (1.38-2.13) for triple-negative breast cancer. Family history of cervical cancer was associated with increased risk of ER(-) (OR = 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36-4.20), but not ER(+) cancer. Family history of both breast and prostate cancer was associated with increased risk of ER(+) (3.40; 2.42-4.79) and ER(-) (2.09; 1.21-3.63) cancer, but family history of both breast and lung cancer was associated only with ER(-) cancer (2.11; 1.29-3.46). A family history of cancers other than breast may influence the risk of breast cancer, and associations may differ by subtype. Greater surveillance and counseling for additional screening may be warranted for women with a family history of cancer.