Determinants of breast cancer screening among women above 18 Years in Banaadir region Mogadishu, Somalia.

Abstract

Background: In Somalia, data on breast cancer screening is sketchy because the Ministry of Health has limited documented cases of BCS. Somali women remain significantly under- screened for breast cancer due to educational, financial, access, and cultural barriers among others. A majority do not even know how to do BSE. This prompted the researcher to carry out a study on the determinants of BCS among women above 18 years in the Banaadir region of Mogadishu, Somalia.

Methods: The study used a cross-sectional research design that employed quantitative methods for data collection and analysis. A sample size of 217 women from 18 years of age and above were enrolled from households using systematic and simple random sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire .

Results: Out of the 217 respondents that participated in the study, a minority of 41 (19%) screened for BC while the majority 176 (81%) never screened for BC. After adjusting for confounding, statistically significant factors were; social demographic factors included; having 30-39 years (AOR 10.4, P=0.006), being single (AOR 14.9, P=0.048), having secondar education (AOR 138.4, P=0.005), and having 1-2 children (AOR 44.4, P=0.007) and not believing in cultural beliefs against clinical BCS (AOR 112.9 P=0.001). Knowledge factors included; knowing anybody who suffered from BC (AOR 99.95, P=0.026) and family history of BC (AOR 99.98, P=0.003). Among health-system factors; being frequently given brochures/handouts or videotapes on BCS at the MCHC (AOR 13.7, P=0.001) was statistically significantly associated with uptake of BCS services among women.

Conclusion: In conclusion, uptake of BCS services was associated with being of young age, single, having lower levels of education, having fewer children, not believing in cultural beliefs against BC, knowing anybody who suffered from BC, family history of BC, and frequent receiving of brochures/handouts or videotapes on BCS at the MCHC. The study recommends that women be health educated about BCS.