Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes and practices among Nepalese women

Abstract

Although Nepal has an epidemic of early-onset, aggressive, advanced breast cancer, breast cancer knowledge and screening practices of Nepalese women have not been assessed. This paper summarises the results of a physician-administrated survey of gynaecologic inpatients (n= 100) admitted between 1 December 2009 and 31 January 2010 at a Nepalese University. Mean knowledge score of the participants was 65%, significantly higher among highly educated women (P= 0.008), professionals (P= 0.014) and women counselled during medical visits (P= 0.030). Study participants, including highly educated women, had many misconceptions. This included lack of awareness of painless nature and non-lump symptoms of breast cancer as well as the belief that traditional health care can be curative. The majority of participants were unaware of clinical breast examination (68%) and mammography (56%). Only 10% of the participants had undergone breast evaluation in the last 2 years. The practice of breast evaluation was more common among Buddhists (P= 0.043), and women counselled during medical visits (P < 0.001), with high economic status (P= 0.022), higher education (P= 0.013) and a family history of breast cancer (P= 0.049). Counselling during medical visits and higher education level were associated with better knowledge of and screening practices for breast cancer in the studied population.

Untreated breast masses: A cross-sectional countrywide survey of Nepal

“…More than half of the study participants were unaware of the non-lump symptoms and painless nature of breast cancer and further, a third of the study participants were uncertain or actually believed that one can be immune to breast cancer or that traditional health care can cure breast cancer. 8 These findings parallel the results from Rwanda and Sierra Leone, which reveal that most respondents with a breast mass did not seek medical attention given that the breast mass caused no disability and overall 36.8% of women who reported masses consulted traditional healers only. 4 …”

“…12 Particularly in Nepal, in addition to the increasing prevalence, a predominance of early-onset, premenopausal, aggressive, estrogen-receptor-negative disease, in concert with a commonly late stage at diagnosis, can potentially increase the years of life lost in Nepal. 678 …”

Breast Cancer in Young Women from a Low Risk Population in Nepal

“…Young women ignore mild breast symptoms. Only 10% of women from the capital city of Nepal undergo clinical examination of the breast (Bhatta et al, 2011). In the present series, younger women presented late compared to older women (7.6 months vs 6.5 months).…”

Attitudes of South Asian Women to Breast Health and Breast Cancer Screening: Findings from a Community Based Sample in the United States

“…Yet, utilization of breast cancer screening services is poor in South Asian women living in Asia (Maqsood et al, 2009;Bhatt et al, 2011;Grosse Frie et al, 2013), the US (Islam et al, 2006;Glenn et al, 2009;Lee et al, 2010) as well as other western countries (Sutton et al, 2001;Szczepura et al, 2008;Price et al, 2010;Rajan et al, 2011;Peltzer and Phaswana-Mafuya, 2014). Across the various studies among South Asians, the mammography rates range from 30-56%.…”