The knowledge of Tikrit university female students about breast self examination

Abstract

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The prognosis of breast cancer depend on the early detection of the disease, and the best mean for early detection of breast lump is breast self examination. To assess the knowledge of Tikrit university female students about breast self examination also to estimate rate of practice of breast self examination and to identify the student knowledge about breast tumour. This study cross-sectional study carried out from the beginning of March to the end of April 2010 enrolled 158 Tikrit university female students.Multistage sampling technique was chosen ,Data collected by using interviewer administered questionnaire for were filled by the members of the study group from different colleges; Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Science, Computers and mathematics, Arts, Veterinary medicine, Agriculture, Breeding and Law colleges using questionnaire that included general information about the age, residence, socioeconomic state. Knowledge was weighting by using score; 4&5 considered as good information, 2&3 considered as middle information and less than 2 considered as bad information. The study revealed about the source of information that 43 (32%) of them from TV,21 (15%) from meeting and lectures and22 (16%) from books and journals. The knowledge about the steps of breast examination, only 32 (24%) of females was having a good information, 48 (35%) middle information and 56 (41%) bad information also when the students asked about the most appropriate time for examination, the answers were:96 (70%) just after . Although 136 (86%) of students hear about BSE; only 24 (18%) examined their breast and 112 (82%) did not and the cause that prevent females from examination of breast was Lack of knowledge in 27 (24%) ,Worry to find lump in 14 (13%), Forgetfulness in 51 (45%) and No time in 20 (18%).It was also found that 147 (93%) know about breast lump and 11 (7%) do not know about breast lump. The majority of study sample heard about BSE before, the majority of the study sample had unqualified knowledge related to BSE. The main source of information was TV, and the least sources were internet and relative but the majority of the study samples do not practice BSE.