Abstract
Breast Self-Examination is the process where by a woman examines her own breasts by seeing and feeling with fingers to detect breast lump or swelling. More than 90% cases of breast cancer are detected by women themselves. Poor practice of breast self-examination is usually associated with patient delay. The five-year survival rate for a localized breast cancer is 84%. Community based breast self-examination practice is low in the country specifically in the present study area. Thus this study aimed to assess breast self-examination practice and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Adama Town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia in 2017EC. This Community based- cross sectional quantitative study was conducted using a random sample and multistage sampling procedure by administering pretested structured questionnaire to the population of 765 reproductive age women. The collected data were cleaned, coded and entered into Epi-Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were computed. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the association among study variables. This study indicated that the overall prevalence of breast self- examination practice was 51.4% with 95% CI (48.1, 55.2). Factors associated with breast self-examination practice were above secondary education (AOR, 6.38; 95% CI: 2.87, 14.16), secondary education (AOR, 5.03; 95% CI: 2.24, 11.30), knowing someone suffering from breast cancer (AOR, 1.98, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.09), and fear of breast cancer from family history (AOR, 12.38, 95% CI: 6.36, 24.10) were having statically significant and positive association with breast self-examination practice. This study revealed that breast self-examination practice was high. Oromia Regional Health Bureau, Adama Town Health Office, women’s and children’s affair offices and other stake holders should disseminate teaching materials that address the benefit of breast self-examination practice. Health professionals should teach the community about the advantage of breast self-examination practice through mass media, awareness raising campaigns, and celebration of breast cancer day.
Highlights
Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is a technique in which a woman examines her own breasts by seeing and feeling with fingers to detect breast lump [1]
Multivariable logistic regression analysis result showed that Educational status, Fear of breast cancer from family history and knowing someone suffering from breast cancer had shown positive significant association with breast self- examination practice with p value < 0.05
The current study shows knowledge of someone suffering from breast cancer was positively associated with breast self-examination practice (AOR, 1.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28, 3.09)
Summary
Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is a technique in which a woman examines her own breasts by seeing and feeling with fingers to detect breast lump [1]. More than 90% of cases of breast cancer can be detected by women themselves. This reality stresses the importance of breast self-examination (BSE) as the key breast cancer detection mechanism [2]. Asia and Africa have experienced a more rapid rise in the annual incidence rate of breast cancer than that of North America and Europe. About 24% of all BC was diagnosed with in the Asia-Pacific region with the greatest number of those occurring in China 46%, Japan 14%, and Indonesia 12% [7] Breast cancer incidence in Africa continues to increase and is projected to double by 2050 [8]. The majority of cancer cases in Africa are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease because of lack of screening and early detection services as well as limited awareness of early signs and symptoms of cancer [9]
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