Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide. It is the leading cause of female cancer related disability and mortality. In Saudi Arabia breast cancer ranks first among cancerous diseases in females. In the Gulf region, and especially in Saudi Arabia, few studies have been conducted to address breast cancer awareness. The purpose of the current study was therefore to investigate the level of breast cancer awareness among Saudi females in Jeddah, focusing on knowledge of breast cancer warning signs, risk factors, screening programs and breast self-examination (BSE). The design of this study was an exploratory correlational analysis. The sample comprised 200 Saudi females aged 20 and older living in Jeddah. Data were collected using face-to- face interviews. Breast cancer awareness was measured using a modified Arabic version of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (Breast CAM) version 2. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson's Product Moment correlation coefficients and ANOVA test were used to answer study questions. Out of 200 participants, 50.5% were aware of breast lump as a warning sign of breast cancer, 57.5% claimed that family history was risk factor, 20.5% had undergone breast screening, 79% heard about BSE, and 47.5% knew how to perform BSE. Findings indicated that Saudi females level of awareness of breast cancer is very inadequate. Public awareness interventions are needed in order to overcome an ever-increasing burden of this disease among Saudi females.
Highlights
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide
Out of 200 participants, 50.5% were aware of breast lump as a warning sign of breast cancer, 57.5% claimed that family history was risk factor, 20.5% had undergone breast screening, 79% heard about breast self-examination (BSE), and 47.5% knew how to perform BSE
The aim of the current study was to investigate the level of breast cancer awareness among Saudi females in Jeddah
Summary
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide. It is the leading cause of female cancer related disability and mortality. The global incidence of breast cancer is escalating (World Health Organization, 2011). Breast cancer rates are increasing in developed as well as developing countries (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2008). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) each year over 1.4 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer as it accounts for 23% of all newly diagnosed cancer (WHO, 2008). In Western countries, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity in women. The current estimates in the United States indicate that 226,870 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, with 39,510 deaths of the disease in the year 2012 (American Cancer Society, 2012)
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