Breast Cancer Knowledge and Related Behaviors among Women in Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,092 women attending urban primary health care centers in Abha City southwestern Saudi Arabia about breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and related practices. Only 22.0% heard about mammography, and 41.5% heard about breast self-examination (BSE). More than half of the women in the study identified changes occurring in case of breast cancer and identified risk factors. Only 8.3% were examined by clinical breast examination (CBE), 6.2% were examined by mammography, and 29.7% performed BSE. The study points to the insufficient knowledge of women and the low practice of BSE, CBE, and mammography. Public awareness should be enhanced by all available means including mass media, schools, social gatherings, and waiting areas in primary health care centers. There is an urgent need for continuing medical education programs for health care workers in the region concerning breast cancer.

Are Women in Kuwait Aware of Breast Cancer and Its Diagnostic Procedures?

“…The latter being documented by ACS that current smokers had a 12% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never smoked. Here, other studies are in agreement with our results; Bahrain 68.7% (Fikree and Hamadeh, 2011) and Abha in Saudi Arabia 68.5% (Mahfouz et al, 2013). On the other hand, age dependence, contraceptive pills and underwire effects were scored 38%, 33.3% and 37.6%, respectively.…”

“…Such a result was lower than the one obtained from Malaysia (88%) (Al-Dubai et al, 2011) and higher than other studies carried out among school teachers (54.2%) (Alharbi et al, 2012) and in different regions of Saudi Arabia; Jeddah (57.5%) (Radi, 2013), Riyadh (39.1%) (Alam, 2006) and Hael (12.1%) (Hussein, 2013). Our results were in agreement with studies from other regions; Tunisia (72.6%) (El Mhamdi et al, 2013) and Abha in Saudi Arabia (74.4%) (Mahfouz et al, 2013). In Kuwait, it has always been believed that marriage with a first degree relative would increase the chance of the disease occurring.…”

“…The awareness level of breast cancer and knowledge of its diagnostic procedures has been well investigated in different regions of the world (Alam, 2006;Montazeri et al, 2008;Akinola et al, 2011;Radi, 2013;Hussein, 2013;Mahfouz et al, 2013). Overall, a lack of knowledge and awareness was noticed among the groups of people tested in regard to risk factors, symptoms and the diagnostic procedures of breast cancer.…”

Practice of Breast Cancer Early Diagnosis Methods among Women Living in Samsun, and Factors Associated with This Practice

“…On the other hand, recent rates of regular BSE are reported between 7.7% and 36.7% (29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34).…”

Educational Study to Increase Breast Cancer Knowledge Level and Scanning Participation among Women Working at a University

“…A high level of knowledge about BC has a positive impact on the screening behavior. In order to raise women's awareness about early detection and screening methods in BC, it is recommended that programs of education be organized for this purpose (8,17). The level of knowledge of women was low before the training.…”