Frequency Of Breast Self-examination Research Articles

Breast Cancer Prevention Practices and Knowledge in Italian and Chinese Women in Italy: Clinical Checkups, Free NHS Screening Adherence, and Breast Self-Examination (BSE).

Breast cancer remains a significant global concern, underscoring the critical need for early detection and prevention strategies. Primary and secondary preventive measures, such as routine screenings and behaviors like breast self-examination (BSE), play a crucial role in facilitating early diagnosis. While the National Health System (NHS) in Italy offers free regular screenings for women aged 50-69, there is a lack of clarity regarding the participation of both Italian and Chinese women residing in Italy in these screening programs. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by thoroughly assessing the involvement in regular clinical check-ups and the types of screening employed, the adherence to free screenings offered by the NHS, and the practice of BSE among women aged 50-69 of these two groups. Furthermore, it investigates their knowledge and perceptions regarding breast cancer and BSE. Results reveal disparities in breast cancer control practice between Italian and Chinese women in Italy: the former demonstrates higher adherence to clinical checkups (53% vs. 3%, p < 0.001), while both groups show low participation in free NHS screenings (70% vs. 4%, p < 0.001). Additionally, Chinese women reported significantly lower frequency of mammography (96% vs. 33%, p < 0.001) and ultrasound (69% vs. 16%, p < 0.001). The frequency of BSE also differed substantially, with 47% of Chinese women never performing BSE compared to 12% of Italian women (p < 0.001). This comprehensive exploration provides valuable insights, attitudes, and knowledge into the disparities and potential areas for improvement in breast cancer prevention, thus contributing to the overall well-being of these communities. The findings highlight the necessity for educational initiatives aimed at improving awareness and participation in screenings, particularly among the Chinese population. These initiatives could have profound implications for patient education by equipping women with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in proactive health behaviors.

Knowledge of Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Breast Cancer, Risk Factors, and BSE Practices Among Nursing Undergraduates in Farasan Island, KSA.

Mammograms are sometimes met with issues of overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis; therefore, they are less reliable in identifying cancer in women with dense breasts. As a result, it is critical to be aware of other sensitive screening techniques for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The ultimate objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of nursing undergraduates regarding non-invasive biomarkers, such as volatile organic compounds in breath, nipple aspirate fluid, sweat, urine, and tears, for the early detection of breast cancer to help improve patient care, determine the risk factors, and encourage practice of breast self-examination. Cross-sectional research was done in the Department of Nursing at Farasan campus using a self-structured questionnaire as the study tool. A total of 260 students willingly participated. The study tool had evaluation questions focused on the non-invasive biomarkers of breast cancer, risk factors, and breast self-examination practices to collect data. The data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistical significance was calculated at P < .05. Data analyses were done using Microsoft Excel (2013). A significant knowledge gap existed among the study participants about the non-invasive biomarkers of breast cancer. A lesser percentage of students (25%) stated that they do breast self-examination on a monthly basis. The most common reasons for not doing the breast self-examination were "not knowing how to do the breast self-examination" (77.3%), fear of a positive diagnosis (53.9%), thinking that they are not at risk as all were in their teens and hence not required (44.7%), and lack of time (48.7%). Age and frequency of breast self-examination were significantly associated (P < .05) as those few students (22.7%) who were doing breast self-examination practices every 2-4 months belonged to a higher study year. Furthermore, knowledge regarding incidence rates and health care expenditure by the government on breast cancer was also significantly low (P < .05). Outcomes would help prioritize actions to help future nurses better understand breast cancer, allowing them to extend patient care in the best way possible.

Explore the Performance and Attitude of Newly Registered Nurses Regarding Breast Cancer Screening in Al-Jouf Hospitals, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Quantitative Study

Context: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer worldwide, but survival rates are still poor in poorer nations. Early diagnosis and screening are key tactics for early detection. Still, the timeframes for screening may not apply to nations like Saudi Arabia, where awareness is low and patients arrive with metastatic breast cancer.&#x0D; Aim: To evaluate the performance and attitudes regarding breast cancer screening among newly registered nurses at different hospitals in AlـJouf, Saudi Arabia. &#x0D; Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design on a convenient sample of 169 newly registered nurses working at Medical-Surgical Departments at Al-Jouf Hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A structured interview questionnaire collects data regarding nurses' performance and attitudes toward breast cancer screening.&#x0D; Results: The participants' total knowledge of breast cancer reveals that 62.1% of the nurses had a fair knowledge level. The participants’ attitude shows a negative attitude towards breast cancer screening and self-examination among 76.92% of nurses. On the one hand, the newly registered nurses' performance of breast self-examination reveals that 84.7% answered incorrectly about the correct frequency of breast self-examination, 83.9% answered incorrectly about the best time for breast self-examination, and 82.2% answered they had not taught breast self-examination. On the other hand, 87.7% correctly answered the practice of breast self-examination, and 85.8% correctly identified the benefits of breast self-examination. The study also reveals a statistically significant positive correlation between participants' knowledge and attitude toward breast cancer screening and self-examination (p=0.028). Years of experience (p=0.003) and working hospital (p=0.027) were identified as statistically significantly positively correlated with nurses' attitudes toward breast cancer screening and breast self-examination.&#x0D; Conclusion: The study concluded that the highest percentage of the newly registered nurses exhibit fair knowledge and negative attitudes towards breast cancer, breast cancer screening, and breast self-examination. Also, more than three-quarters of the studied nurses answered incorrect questions about the frequency and timing of breast self-examination. The study's result emphasizes the necessity of providing newly registered nurses with further training and education regarding breast cancer screening. It is crucial to raise their understanding of the risk factors, symptoms, and suitable screening techniques for breast cancer, such as mammography, clinical breast examination (CBE), and breast self-examination (BSE). Assisting in the early detection of breast cancer will enable patients to have a better prognosis and survival rate.

P19-4 A cross-sectional study and awareness of breast self-examination of Bangladeshi women at Dhaka Medical College Hospital

Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer among women in Bangladesh, accounting for 6.3% of the mortality rate of all types of cancers. The lack of awareness and self-screening of breast leads to the late presentation at an advanced stage, and therefore, breast cancer is one of the foremost causes of a large number of deaths. This research aimed to understand the awareness of breast cancer symptoms, frequency of breast self-examination (BSE), and breast cancer risk factors of Bangladeshi women.

Psychometric properties of the Romanian version of Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale for breast self-examination

This study set out to translate Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale and to test its properties on a Romanian sample. The study included 502 participants. The structural validity, convergent validity, criterion validity and reliability were evaluated for the Romanian version. The exploratory factor analysis highlighted six factors. The confirmatory factor analysis upheld the correctness of the six-subscale model as presenting a good fit for the 34-item version. Convergent validity was supported by the fact that the constructs included in the model correlated significantly with similar constructs evaluated using other questionnaires. In terms of criterion validity, those women who perceived fewer barriers and more cues to action and had greater self-efficacy practiced more frequent breast self-examination. α Cronbach coefficients ranged between .74 and .87 and test-retest correlation coefficients for the six subscales fell between .47 and .69. The Romanian version of the Champion Health Belief Model Scale is valid and reliable tool.

Breast Self-examination Practice among Medical Postgraduate Female Students of Southern Odisha: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Breast cancer is on the rise among females in India. Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is an easy to learn, self monitoring screening modality which can be done in utmost privacy. A proportionate increase in incidence of breast cancer is now reported among urban educated females. Even doctors neglect their own health and are the at-risk population for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of postgraduates on BSE. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between August 2021 to October 2021 at M.K.C.G. Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India. Study population included 100 female postgraduate students. A predesigned structured questionnaire was prepared by thorough review of literature and was validated by experts. Data was collected on knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE from the study participants using Google form. Scoring was done and correlation was found out between the parameters. Chi-square test and the Fisher Exact Test was used for statistical analysis. Results: About 82 respondents completed the form. About 66 (80.48%) were in age group of 25-29 years, 7 (8.53%) had family history of breast cancer, 8 (9.75%) had discovered abnormality while practicing BSE. The median scores in knowledge of breast cancer and BSE was 36 and 17 respectively. The median scores of attitude and practice were 42 and 13 each. Spearman’s rank correlation between knowledge and attitude was positively correlated (r=0.324, p=0.003), attitude and practice was positively correlated (r=0.317, p=0.004) and knowledge and practice was not correlated (r=0.173, p=0.120). No significant difference in practice was found for participants with family history of breast cancer (p=0.353) and personal history of breast abnormality (p=0.672) and those who had no history. However a significant association was found between knowledge on frequency of BSE and monthly practice of BSE (p=0.003). Conclusion: In this study 50% of the participants did not know about the age of starting BSE as 20 years. All the steps were not followed by those who performed BSE. The most common reason for not practicing BSE was lack of time. Knowledgepractice gaps exist among the future professionals.

Factors associated with breast self-examination in Mexican young women with breast cancer.

10562 Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cause of cancer-related death and morbidity among young women in Latin America. This group has a higher prevalence of advanced disease stages at diagnosis compared to their older counterparts. Thus, strategies aimed at detecting BC at early stages are imperative. Breast self-examination (BSE) remains a useful strategy for BC detection, especially in women who do not routinely undergo screening with imaging studies. This study aims to evaluate factors related with BSE practice in Mexican young women with BC and assess its association with earlier disease stages. Methods: Women aged ≤40 newly diagnosed with BC from 2014 to 2020 at three cancer referral centers in Mexico accrued in the Joven &amp; Fuerte cohort were included and asked to complete a socio-demographic survey. Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to evaluate associations between BSE and socio-demographic characteristics, as well as disease stages. Results: A total of 554 patients with a median age at diagnosis of 36 years (range: 19-40) were analyzed. Most patients (65%) were married or in a domestic partnership, and the majority were housewives (63%). Regarding educational background, 64% had completed at least high school, and up to 84% had a monthly income &lt; 11,600 Mexican pesos (US$ 581). Overall, 85% of patients had public insurance, 6% had private insurance, and 9% were uninsured. The distribution of clinical stages at diagnosis was: 0 (2%), I (11%), II (45%), III (32%), and IV (10%). BC detection methods were: 85% by self/partner exam, 11% by an imaging study, and 4% by a healthcare professional. A total of 443 (80%) patients practiced BSE, of which 50% did it on a monthly basis, 18% every 2-3 months, and the remaining 12% every 4-12 months. Notably, a higher educational level (≥ high school v ≤ middle school) was positively associated with BSE practice (RR: 1.28; 95%CI 1.06-1.54; p= 0.005). No significant association was found between BSE and age (≤35 v &gt; 35), marital status (in a relationship v no), occupation (housewive v other), monthly income ( &lt; 11,600 v ≥11,600) or medical coverage (public/uninsured v private). Patients that performed BSE were more likely to be diagnosed with early BC (stages 0-II) compared to those that did not (61% v 45%; p= 0.003). No association was found between BSE frequency and stage at diagnosis. Noteworthy, patients with private insurance were more likely to be diagnosed with stages 0-II compared to those with public or no insurance (80% v 56%; p= 0.007). Conclusions: The significant association between BSE and earlier stages at diagnosis found in this study highlights the need to raise awareness and promote this practice among young women with the objective of downstaging BC diagnoses. Public health interventions such as educational and social media campaigns that aim to improve the correct practice of BSE might be particularly useful in settings with inadequate screening programs.

Women's Awareness Level on Breast Self-Examination

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the level of awareness, regarding the importance of breast self examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography, and the effects of education on these issues among patients who applied to family medicine outpatient clinic for follow-up or treatment purposes.Methods: This study was done by establishing a questionnaire form, after review of necessary litetarure, to be applied in patients who applied for follow-up or treatment in a district polyclinic affiliated to the department of family medicine of a tertiary care center in Ankara.Results: A total of 434 women aged between 18-56 years participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 36.62±9,21 years. Although 258 (59.4%) of the participants reported that they performed BSE. 176 participants (40.6%) stated that they did not perform a BSE. The 38.2% of the participants have undergone a CBE and the 24 % of women expressed that they underwent a mammography.The frequency of BSE, CBE and undergoing mammography has been shown to increase significantly as education level increases. The rates of having a CBE and a mammography were also found to be statistically significantly higher in patients who had a family member with breast cancer.Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the level of education was important for awareness on the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Thanks to efforts to increase educational level, we can get promising achievements regarding the awareness of both BSE, CBE and mammography performances.

Does being a Health Worker Have an Effect on Breast Cancer Awareness?

AIM: The purpose of this study to measure the breast cancer knowledge levels of women health workers and to investigate the factors that determine the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors against screening methods.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 850 volunteer participant women over 21 years old, health educated, uneducated, and other members of the community. Ethical committee approval and informed consent form were obtained. Sociodemographic data form, Champion Health Belief Model for Breast Cancer, The Comprehensive Breast Cancer Knowledge Test were used to compare the groups. Statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0RESULTS: There was no difference in the frequency of breast self-examination and clinical breast examination between the groups (p&amp;gt;0.05). There were statistically significant differences in age, knowledge level, and education level between the groups (p&amp;lt;0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between the education level of the health workers and community members (p=0.029). The median scores for each subscale of the Champion Health Belief Model for Breast Cancer were not statistically different between the groups. Self-efficacy was found the only predictive factor on the breast self-examination practice (p=0.00, OR:1.188). The most predictive factor was education level on the breast cancer knowledge level (p=0.00, r=0.315). Only 36.5% of the participants had a high knowledge level.CONCLUSION: The breast cancer knowledge level, the behavior of breast self-examination and clinical breast examination are not more different in health workers than the other members of the society.

Breast Cancer knowledge and perceived barriers to help seeking among pre-clinical and clinical female medical students of King Edward Medical University, Lahore: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and second most common cancer after lung cancer. The prognosis of breast cancer depends on early detection and intervention which in turn relies upon awareness. Health workers in all communities are responsible for educating the population at risk. This study evaluates the knowledge regarding breast cancer, personal judgment of confidence, perceived barriers to help seeking and breast self-examination practices among Pakistani female medical students and studies the impact of clinical training on the studied variables.MethodsDescriptive cross-sectional study design using self-administered validated questionnaires (BCAM-Breast Cancer Awareness Measure designed by Cancer Research UK) was employed. Female medical students enrolled in clinical and pre-clinical classes of King Edward Medical University, Lahore were targeted and questioned regarding symptoms, risk factors and their practices regarding breast cancer. Possible barriers to seeking help were also studied.ResultThe mean number of symptoms correctly identified was 6.7 ± 3.2 (5.5 ± 3.2 for pre-clinical and 7.8 ± 2.9 for clinical students) and for risk factors it was 4.3 ± 2.1 (3.7 ± 2.1 for pre-clinical and 4.7 ± 2.2 for clinical students). The difference in the level of perception of two groups was found to be significant (p < 0.001 for symptoms and p < 0.001 for risk factors). 38.7% of the subjects responded that they check their breasts rarely, 33.1% were fairly confident while 8.6% were very confident about detecting a change in their breast, 50.0% never noticed a change in their breast, and 77.4% will contact a doctor within a week or less of finding a change in their breast. Confidence about detecting a change significantly improved (p < 0.001) after the start of clinical training.ConclusionThis study suggests that clinical training may have improved knowledge of female medical students regarding breast cancer; yet the knowledge related to the symptoms and risk factors of breast cancer and frequency of breast self-examination of female medical students is less than anticipated.

Effects of mobile text messaging on breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) knowledge, BSE self-efficacy, and BSE frequency: a randomised controlled trial.

Educating women regarding breast cancer and increasing breast self-examination uptake continues to remain a major challenge despite the intensive campaigns. An innovative, cost-effective and easily customised intervention is needed especially in under-resourced and hard to reach communities. This paper is a report examining the effects of mobile text messaging on women's knowledge of breast cancer and BSE, BSE self-efficacy and frequency of BSE. A randomised controlled trial design was used. The study sample consisted of 128 women of reproductive age (WRA) (64 in the experimental group and 64 in the control group) from two communities in the Philippines during the months of August to October 2018. Three to five short messages were sent to the participants in the experimental group daily for one month while the control group did not receive the messages. Women who received mobile text messages had higher knowledge of breast cancer (F=21.756, p=0.001) and breast self-examination (F=6.776, p=0.010) than the control group. However, no significant improvements were seen in the BSE self-efficacy (F=1.446, p=0.232) and frequency of BSE (F=3.374, p=0.69). Mobile text messaging significantly improved the knowledge on breast cancer and breast self-examination among women; however, it did not affect their breast self-examination self-efficacy and frequency. Mobile text messaging can be a viable tool that can be used by healthcare workers in order to educate women regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination.

Effects of Health Belief Model-Based Education on Health Beliefs and Breast Self-Examination in Nursing Students

Objective:This study was carried out to investigate the effect of an education program based on the health belief model (HBM) on nursing students’ health beliefs and on their practices of breast self-examination (BSE).Methods:This research was a semi-experimental intervention study with a single group, pretest and posttest design. The sample of the research consisted of 48 students in the 3rd year of study. Data were collected before the education program and 6 months and 1 year after the training. A sociodemographic information form, the breast cancer knowledge form, the HBM scale, and the BSE proficiency rating instrument were used. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA were used to examine the relationships among the variables.Results:Implementing the educational program was found to be statistically insignificant for the HBM. Knowledge about breast cancer and BSE skills increased after the training. The percentage of students practicing regular BSE was determined as 14.6% before training, 45.8% after 6 months, and 28.1% after 1 year.Conclusions:The education provided to the students increased their HBM scores, knowledge about breast cancer, and BSE skills. However, the frequency of regular BSE was still quite low after training.

Primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer in China: a scoping review

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in China, with an annual incidence of 41·32 per 100 000 women. The total expense of cancer treatment in China was estimated to be 221·4 billion RMB. This scoping review summarises the current process of breast cancer primary and secondary prevention and identifies how China can improve prevention. MethodsWe identified articles from MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science, published in English between Jan 1, 1990 and Sept 25, 2018. Key search terms were breast cancer AND (primary prevention OR secondary prevention) AND China. We used WHO's definition for primary and secondary preventions and study population should be women 18 years or older. We excluded study protocols, abstracts, and studies focused on lifestyle interventions not directly concerning breast cancer. We assessed the quality of evidence using appraisal tools depending on the study design (including Cochrane risk of bias tool and risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions). We analysed breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practice and education interventions. FindingsOur search yielded 1967 articles and 16 eligible studies, which are cross-sectional (n=6), diagnostic (n=2), randomised control trial (RCT; n=4), cohort (n=2), mathematical modelling (n=1), and review (n=1). All six cross-sectional studies were relevant regarding women's knowledge, attitude, or practice. 86·3% of urban women aged 35–69 years old were reported to be knowledgeable of breast cancer by a cross-sectional study (n=1200), whereas this proportion was only 18·6% among women aged 25–70 years old in another cross-sectional study (n=122 058). The most common reason (24·8–58% of cases) for not attending breast cancer screening was absence of any symptoms. 24·0–26·5% women had received previous mammogram; 17·5–23·0% women have been imaged with ultrasound; and 21·7–43·6% women have received any form of breast cancer screening. Four studies reported on the effect of education programmes. One cohort study reported that breast cancer education interventions increased mammogram screening participation from 10·3% to 72·6% (p<0·001). One RCT showed that education programmes increased breast cancer knowledge from 20·4% to 62·8% (p<0·01); and one that education programmes increased frequency of breast self-examination from 9% to 34% (p<0·001). However, one RCT in the 1990s found that breast self-examination education itself does not reduce breast cancer mortality. InterpretationLimited number of primary and secondary interventions have been identified in China. Chinese women are still poorly aware of breast cancer and have low screening participation. FundingNone.

The Relationship between Breast Self-examination and the Disease Stage in Detection Time among Patients with Breast Cancer in Yazd

Introduction: breast cancer, as the most common cancer among women, is controllable if it is diagnosed at the early stages. Breast self- examination is a simple method for early detection. One of the most important effective factors on the cancer-related mortality is the defection stage. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between breast self-examination and the disease stage with regard to the detection time among patients with breast cancer in Yazd.&#x0D; Method: this cross-sectional study was carried out on 159 women with breast cancer, who referred to medical centers in Yazd. Data collection tool was a questionnaire with two parts. The first part was the demographic information and the second part dealt with the patients' breast self-examination before the detection of their disease. The disease stage in the detection time was determined based on the results of the pathology test. Data were analyzed using χ2 and other description tests by SPSS.&#x0D; Result: A statistically signification relationship was observed between disease stage at the defection time and breast self-examination. The disease was detected earlier in individuals who reported a higher frequency of breast self-examination in comparison with those who did not.&#x0D; Conclusion: Breast self-examination affects the early detection of breast cancer and those who were educated had better practice. So, the results show the importance of educational programs in this regard.

The Effect of Motivational Interviewing-Based Training Compared with Conventional Training on the Frequency of Breast Cancer Screening Tests in Female Teachers: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common health problems and the most important cause to threaten women’s lives; however, its complications can be prevented by a timely diagnosis and effective therapeutic measures. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of motivational interviewing (MI)-based training, as compared with conventional training, on the frequency of breast cancer screening tests in female teachers in Zahedan during the year 2017. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design, which was carried out on 140 female teachers teaching in different levels of study in Zahedan, Iran, during the year 2017. Schools were selected randomly from two education districts using a multistage sampling method. The participants were divided into an intervention group receiving MI-based training (N = 70) and a conventional training group (N = 70). Training was provided to the MI-based training and conventional training groups based on the specified content during three sessions. Data collection was carried out using a demographic questionnaire and a screening test record form 20 weeks after the training. The frequency of breast self-examination, breast clinical examination, and mammography was evaluated. Data analysis was then conducted using the chi-square test, independent t-test, and paired t-test in SPSS version 21. Results: After 20 weeks of training, breast self-examination was regularly practiced by 58.2% and 40.3% of women in the MI-based and conventional training groups, respectively (P = 0.02). The clinical breast exam (CBE) was carried out by 25.4% and 14.9% of women in the MI-based and conventional training groups, respectively (P = 0.09). Mammography was also done only by 10.4% and 4.5% of women in the MI-based and conventional training groups (P = 0.16). Conclusions: MI-based training increased women’s adherence to breast self-examination. Considering the positive effect of this approach on increasing the adherence to some breast cancer-screening behaviors, it is recommended to determine the effectiveness of this training method in other groups of women to increase the generalizability of the results.

Low awareness about breast self-examination and risk factors of breast cancer in Benghazi, Libya

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Objectives: The study aimed to ascertain the level of awareness about the breast self-examination (BSE) and early detection of breast cancer and risks of breast cancer in the women of Benghazi, the second capital city of Libya. Subjects and Methods: A community-based survey was carried out in Benghazi to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of women at Benghazi about BSE and risk and protective factors of breast cancer. Cluster sampling technique was used. 30 clusters were selected during the year 2013. Results: Three thousand women were targeted; 2601 women were interviewed. Their mean age was 36.4 ± 10.9 years; more than half of them were married. The respondents' knowledge about BSE was poor with less than half of them (48.1%) having ever heard about BSE. Less than one-fifth of them (16.9%) knew what is BSE and less than one-quarter (25.7%) had satisfactory knowledge about the recommended frequency of BSE. About 39.0% of the respondents knew how to perform BSE, less than one-quarter of them (22.5%) knew when to start it. However, about three quarters (74.4%) of women considered BSE practice very important based on information from television programs as their source of knowledge (23.8). Less than half (43%) thought that high-fat diet and 42% stated that that physical inactivity are recognized risk factors for developing breast cancer. Conclusions: There is a poor knowledge about BSE and about risk and protective factors of breast cancer even among educated women in Benghazi. Primary prevention and early detection awareness should be the first step for prevention of breast cancer in Benghazi, Libya.

Breast size dissatisfaction, but not body dissatisfaction, is associated with breast self-examination frequency and breast change detection in British women

Studies examining associations between body image and breast self-examination (BSE) have returned mixed findings, but this may be a function of focusing on global body image. Here, we examined the impact of breast size dissatisfaction specifically on BSE and behaviours in relation to breast change detection. A total of 384 British women completed measures of breast size dissatisfaction, body dissatisfaction, BSE frequency, confidence in detecting breast change, and delay in contacting their doctor upon detecting a breast change. Regression analyses indicated that greater breast size dissatisfaction, but not body dissatisfaction, was significantly associated with less frequent BSE and lower confidence in detecting breast change. Both breast size and body dissatisfaction were significantly associated with greater delay in consulting a doctor following breast change, but the former was the stronger predictor. These findings suggest that improving breast size satisfaction may be a useful means of promoting improved breast awareness and self-examination.

Breast self-examination in Greek midwives and midwifery students.

The aim of this study is to assess breast self-examination (BSE) practice in a representative sample of Greek midwives and midwifery students. Breast self-examination (BSE) is infrequent in healthcare professionals, including physicians and nurses. All midwives (n=245) and graduating midwifery students (n=165) who attended a congress of midwives were eligible to participate in the study, and a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was developed to assess BSE practice. Midwives performed BSE more frequently than students (p<0.001). In addition, 27.0% of students performed BSE less frequently than every year whereas the midwives' rate is 14.0% (p<0.001). The proportion of subjects searching for specific signs of breast cancer during BSE and the BSE technique did not differ between midwives and students. In midwifery students, higher perceived knowledge of breast cancer-related issues was associated with more frequent BSE. Only a minority of Greek midwives and midwifery students practice BSE every month, and therefore implications for nursing management in BSE education should be included in midwifery school curricula to ensure increased BSE frequency, improved BSE accuracy and the promotion of BSE teaching to patients.

Evaluating female nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding breast self-examination

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate female nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding breast self-examination (BSE). The sample consisted of 175 nursing students from a university in Cyprus. We collected data via a questionnaire that included the Greek version of the Champion Health Belief Model scale and questions regarding the participants' demographic characteristics. More than half of the participants (58.3%) said that they were knowledgeable about BSE and 29.1% of them had been taught about it during their studies. Nevertheless, 59.9% reported never having performed BSE, while 40.1% had performed it at least once. Only 10.9% of the students performed BSE every month for more than a year. Self-confidence had a positive and significant correlation (0.86) with BSE frequency. Also, we found quite a low level of BSE knowledge and practice levels, and this highlights the need for establishing breast cancer prevention programs.

Knowledge about Risk Factors for Breast Cancer and Having a Close Relative with Cancer Affect the Frequency of Breast Self-Examination Performance.

Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are increasing in North-Eastern Brazil and the patients with the disease often presented at advanced stages. The present study was focused on identifying variables that affect women's frequency of breast self- examination (BSE) performance. Data on BSE, socio-economic parameters and risk factors for breast cancer were obtained from 417 women from a community in North-Eastern Brazil by a self-informant method. To identify independent variables that affect frequency of BSE, nominal logistic regression analysis was performed. Of 417 women, 330 (79.3%) reported performing BSE. Compared to high-income women, BSE performance by low-income women every month was 7.69 (OD=0.130; CI 95%: 0.044- 0.0386; p=0.000) times lower. Women who did not live in a stable union performed BSE each month 2.73 (OD=0.366; CI 95%: 0.171-0.782; p=0.010) less often than those living in a stable union. BSE performance every month and every six months or every year by women with poor knowledge about risk factors for breast cancer was 3.195 (OD=0.313; CI 95%: 0.141- 0.695; p=0.004) times and 2.028 (OD=0.493; CI 95%: 0.248- 0.979; p=0.043) times lower, compared to women with good knowledge. Participants who had a close relative with cancer performed BSE every month and every six months or every year 2.132 (OD=0.469; CI 95%: 0.220-0.997; p=0.049) times and 2.337 (OD=0.428; CI 95%: 0.219-0.836; p=0.013) times less often, compared to those women without close relatives with cancer. The results of this study indicated that income, marital status, knowledge about risk factors and having a close relative with breast cancer, affect the frequency of BSE performance. Information about risk factors in public health campaigns could additionally strengthen avoidance behaviour and also motivate BSE performance.