Knowledge and Attitude Towards Breast Self Examination Among Women Aged 18 - 45 Years Attending Health Centre IIIs in Busedde Subcounty, JInja District.

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer of the breast among women is a major health burden worldwide, since it’s one of the most common cause of death among women in both developed and under developed countries. Screening for early detection and diagnosis of diseases like breast cancer and other health conditions is an important public health practice. Many screening techniques have been put in place but BSE has been recommended for the under developed countries where access to mammography and clinical breast self examination is difficult. Breast Self Examination (BSE) is a process whereby women examine their own breasts regularly to detect any abnormal swelling or lumps in order to seek prompt medical attention Objective: To investigate the knowledge and attitudes towards breast self-examination among women aged 18-45 years attending HCIIIs in Busedde sub-county, Jinja district. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study where 369 women attending health center IIIs were purposively selected. Data was collected with the use of structured researcher administered questionnaires that included socio-demographic, knowledge and attitudes. Results: Out of the 369 respondents, a larger percentage 58.3% had not heard about BSE compared to 41.7% who had heard about the practice and the proportion of those who conduct BSE was very low 24.4%. Majority (51.8%) of the respondents agreed that BSE can detect breast cancer at an early age therefore it is necessary for every woman to conduct breast self examination. Conclusion: Awareness about BSE is still very low which is indicated by the low proportion of those who heard about the practice which contributes to a low practice. It is recommended that awareness should be raised through health education at the health facilities and integrate the practice in the school curriculum.