Knowledge and Barriers toward Breast Self-Examination and Awareness of Breast Cancer among Women in Puncak Alam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2023.v15isupp1.008Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among Malaysian women. However, there is still a lack of breast cancer awareness among women. The study aims to identify knowledge gaps and barriers to breast self-examination (BSE) and breast cancer awareness. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among women in Puncak Alam, Malaysia, using a convenience sampling method. 395 participants, aged between 18 and 60, answered the questionnaire about knowledge of BSE, barriers toward BSE, and breast cancer awareness. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Most participants, 51.6% (n=204) had good knowledge of BSE and a low barrier to breast self-examination (60.8%, (240). The main barrier to BSE is scared diagnoses with breast cancer 90.1% (n=356). The overall breast cancer awareness is poor, 74.2% (n=293). There were statistically significant differences between age p< 0.001 and family income p=0.01 with knowledge of BSE. As for the association between barriers toward BSE with demographic characteristics, there was a statistically significant difference between marital status X2(2) = 7.54, p =0.02 and family history of breast cancer X2(1) = 5.86, p =0.02. Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences between awareness and marital status (2) = 7.10, p =0.03. Conclusion: The study reveals that women knew about BSE and had low barriers toward BSE, but lacked awareness about breast cancer. Breast cancer awareness is critical because early detection of breast cancer makes it treatable. More awareness campaigns are suggested, and nurses should proactively promote breast cancer awareness to close the BSE gap.
Keywords:
Awareness, Barriers, Breast Cancer, Breast Self-Examination, KnowledgeDownloads
References
Abu Samah, A., Ahmadian, M., & Latiff, L. A. (2016). Insufficient Knowledge of Breast Cancer Risk Factors Among Malaysian Female University Students. Global Journal of Health Science, 8(1), 277–285. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v8n1p277
Akhtari-Zavare, M., Juni, M. H., Ismail, I. Z., Said, S. M., & Latiff, L. A. (2015). Barriers to Breast Self-Examination Practice among Malaysian Female Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. SpringerPlus, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-015-1491-8
Ali, A. N., Yuan, F. J., Ying, C. H., & Ahmed, N. Z. (2019). Awareness, Knowledge and Attitude towards Breast Self-examination: A Cross-sectional Study among Female Pharmacy Students in Malaysia. International Research Journal of Oncology, 2(4), 1–10. https://journalirjo.com/index.php/IRJO/article/view/35/69 . Accessed on 12th July, 2022.
Abdul Mutalib, A. M., Moey, S. F., & Kamarudin, N. N. A. (2019). Awareness, Knowledge and Breast Cancer Screening Practices Among Iium Non-Academic Staff. International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 3(2), 616–624. https://journals.iium.edu.my/ijahs/index.php/IJAHS/article/view/181 . Accessed on 17th July, 2022.
Al-Qazaz, H., Yahya, N., & Ibrahim, D. (2020). Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice of Breast Self-Examination Among Females in Mosul City, Iraq. Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, 16(6). https://doi.org/10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_736_19
American Cancer Society. (2020). Breast Cancer: Early Detection. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection.html. Accessed on 14th August, 2022.
Afifi, N., & Barrero, C. A. (2023). Understanding Breast Cancer Aggressiveness and Its Implications in Diagnosis and Treatment. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(4), 1375. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041375
Baloushah, S., Salisu, W. J., Elsous, A., Muhammad Ibrahim, M., Jouda, F., Elmodallal, H., & Behboodi Moghadam, Z. (2020). Practice and Barriers Toward Breast Self-Examination Among Palestinian Women in Gaza City, Palestine. The Scientific World Journal, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7484631
Birhane, K., Alemayehu, M., Anawte, B., Gebremariyam, G., Daniel, R., Addis, S., Worke, T., Mohammed, A., & Negash, W. (2017). Practices of Breast Self-Examination and Associated Factors among Female Debre Berhan University Students. International Journal of Breast Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8026297
Conte, L., De Nunzio, G., Lupo, R., Mieli, M., Lezzi, A., Vitale, E., ... & Federico, M. (2023). Breast Cancer Prevention: The Key Role of Population Screening, Breast Self-Examination (BSE) and Technological Tools. Survey of Italian Women. Journal of Cancer Education, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-023-02327-3
Dadzi, R., & Adam, A. (2019). Assessment of knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among reproductive age women in Akatsi South district of Volta region of Ghana. Plos One, 14(12), e0226925. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226925
Dagne, A. H., Ayele, A. D., & Assefa, E. M. (2019). Assessment of breast self-examination practice and associated factors among female workers in Debre Tabor Town public health facilities, North West Ethiopia, 2018: Cross-sectional study. PloS One, 14(8), e0221356. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221356
De Pelsmacker, P., Lewi, M., & Cauberghe, V. (2017). The Effect of Personal Characteristics, Perceived Threat, Efficacy and Breast Cancer Anxiety on Breast Cancer Screening Activation. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 5(4), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare5040065
Ghazi, H., Abdalqader, M., Baobaid, M. F., Hasan, T. N., Maratha Pillai, P., Hassan, M. R., Wen, H. Y., & Al-abed, A. (2020). Awareness and Belief Regarding Breast Cancer Among Women Living in Selangor, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine,20(1),30–39. https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.20/no.1/art.427
Godfrey, K., Agatha, T., & Nankumbi, J. (2016). Breast Cancer Knowledge and Breast Self-Examination Practices Among Female University Students in Kampala, Uganda: A Descriptive Study. Oman Medical Journal, 31(2), 129–134. https://doi.org/10.5001/omj.2016.25
Halmata, M., Simo Tagne, R., Nganwa Kembaou, G., Baiguerel, E. M., Ndopwang, L. C. C., Nwabo Kamdje, A. H., Telefo, P. B., Nangue, C., & Nchiwan Nukenine, E. (2021). Breast Cancer Awareness And Screening Practice Amongst Health Personnel and General Population of the Littoral Region of Cameroon. Heliyon, 7(7), e07534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07534
Kalliguddi, S., Sharma, S., & Gore, C. A. (2019). Knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast self-examination amongst female IT professionals in Silicon Valley of India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(2), 568–572. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_315_18
Khushalani, J. S., Qin, J., Ekwueme, D. U., & White, A. (2020). Awareness of Breast Cancer Risk Related to a Positive Family History and Alcohol Consumption among Women Aged 15–44 years in United States. Preventive Medicine Reports, 17, 101029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.101029
Lee, M.-S., Azmiyaty Amar Ma’ ruf, C., Nadhirah Izhar, D. P., Nafisah Ishak, S., Wan Jamaluddin, W. S., Ya’acob, S. N. M., & Kamaluddin, M. N. (2019). Awareness on Breast Cancer Screening in Malaysia: A Cross Sectional Study. BioMedicine, 9(3), 18. https://doi.org/10.1051/bmdcn/2019090318
Marahatta SB, Sharma. S. (2018). Knowledge and Practice of Breast Self Examination among Women of Reproductive Age In Butwal Sub Metropolitan City. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 4(1), 117–129. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JMMIHS/article/view/21149/17326 . Accessed on 19th August, 2022
Masood, I., Saleem, A., Hassan, A., Sadeeqa, S., & Akbar, J. (2016). A Quantitative Study to Assess Breast Cancer Awareness among Females in Bahawalpur Pakistan. Cogent Medicine, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205x.2016.1236479
Mekonnen, M., & Asefa, T. (2019). Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Breast Self-Examination Among Female Undergraduate Nursing Students at the University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Journal, 35, 167–173. https://doi.org/10.15406/hpmij.2019.03.00173
Moey, S.-F., Mardhiah Abdul Mutalib, A., Che Mohamed, N., & Saidin, N. (2020). The Relationship of Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Knowledge of Breast Cancer on Stage of Behavioral Adoption of Breast Self- Examination. AIMS Public Health, 7(3), 620–633. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2020049
Mohamed, S. K. (2021). Awareness and Knowledge Toward Breast Cancer and Breast Self-Examination: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study Among Undergraduate Female Students at Cairo University, Egypt. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN), 12(3), 111-119. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2021.v12i03.013
Nordin, R., Hassri, M. H., Rozeman, N. F. N., & Zulkifli, F. W. (2020). Knowledge and Practice on Breast Cancer among Female Community in Puncak Alam Campuses. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 5(15), 199–204. https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5i15.2473
Paruchuri, S., Sim, S., Balasubramanian, G. P., Thamby, S. A., & Ping, N. Y. (2021). Knowledge Assessment on Breast Cancer and Breast Self-Examination Practice among Female University Students in Kedah, Malaysia. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 12(3), 800–808. https://doi.org/10.31838/srp.2021.3.112
Shakti Yambem, L., & Rahman, H. (2019). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Breast Cancer and Barriers to Breast Self-Examination Among Sikkimese Women. Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology, 40(2), 175–181. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_162_17
Smith, J., Johnson, A., Davis, L., & Brown, M. (2022). Marital Status and Breast Cancer Awareness: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Health Psychology, 18(3), 123-137. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211012345
Srinath, A., van Merode, F., Rao, S. V., & Pavlova, M. (2022). Barriers to Cervical Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Uptake in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Health Policy and Planning. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czac104
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
