Influence of educational level on knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among women in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Breast self‑examination (BSE) remains the most effective means of early detection of breast cancer among women in middle‑ and low‑income countries where mammography is neither available nor affordable. Aim: This study explored the influence of educational level on knowledge and practice of BSE among women in Sokoto, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: A quantitative cross‑sectional design was employed using structured questionnaire. A sample of 400 participants was selected for the study using multistage sampling technique among educated women in Sokoto. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0, IBM Corp, New York) was used for data analysis. Chi‑square was used to establish significant relationships. Results: Findings showed that 75% (294/392) of women had average knowledge of BSE, but only 34.4% (135/392) practiced BSE regularly. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between educational level and the knowledge and practice of BSE. Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that though women may have knowledge about BSE, the practice of BSE is sporadic.Therefore, there is a need for health care practitioners to provide women with BSE education and emphasize on the need for regular practice of BSE. KEY WORDS: Breast cancer, breast self‑examination, educational level, knowledge, practice