Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors on the Breast Care of Patients and Health Care Personnels Who Apply to Family Medicine Policlinic

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in women after lung cancer in the World. Early diagnosis and treatment is life-saving. Our aim with this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of breast cancer awareness of health care professionals and patients who apply to our Family Medicine Policlinic in Eskisehir. Methods: A total of 424 female patients were included in the study. "Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Breast Health of Patients and Healthcare Personnels Attending to the Family Physician Policlinic Form" which was prepared by the researchers was applied with a face-to-face interview method. Results: A total of 424 female patients were included in the study, 178 of them were health professionals. The average age was 40.2 ± 11.1 years. 54.1% (n= 153) of 283 patients who performed BSE were health care personnels and health care personnels' performances of BSE were found to be statistically higher than nonhealth care personnels. 47.9% (n= 203) of participants in study are over 40 years of age and 66.5% (n= 135) of them are screened by mammogram, 33.5% (n= 68) of them did not have a mammogram. There was no significant difference about screened by mammography between health care personnels and non-health care personnels. Conclusions: While attending preventive health services, they should have positive attitudes towards developing health for health care personnels, which is also an example for cancer screenings.