Top

BMC Cancer

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

Knowledge of risk factors, beliefs and practices of female healthcare professionals towards breast cancer in a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria

Authors: Nasiru A Ibrahim, Olumuyiwa O Odusanya

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2009

Abstract

Background

Breast cancer is the leading female malignancy in Nigeria. Screening for early detection has led to reduction in mortality from the disease. It is known that attitudes of physicians and motivation by community nurses influence uptake of screening methods by women. This study aims to investigate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among a cohort of female healthcare professionals in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among 207 female doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals working in a university teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling method was employed. Chi square test, analysis of variance and Mantel-Haenszel test were performed in data analysis using SPSS v10.0 and Epi Info version 6 statistical packages.

Results

Female doctors obtained a mean knowledge score of 74% and were the only professional group that had satisfactory knowledge of risk factors. Majority (86%) believed that early breast cancer is curable while half of participants believed that prayer can make breast cancer disappear from the affected breast. Eighty three percent practice breast self-examination (BSE) once a month and only 8% have ever had a mammogram. Age, knowledge of risk factors, profession and beliefs were not significantly associated with rate of BSE in this study.

Conclusion

Results from this study suggest the need for continuing medical education programmes aimed at improving knowledge of breast cancer among female healthcare providers other than doctors.

Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J, Pisani P: Global cancer statistics, 2002. CA Cancer J Clin. 2005, 55: 74-108. 10.3322/canjclin.55.2.74.CrossRefPubMed

Adebamowo CA, Ajayi OO: Breast Cancer in Nigeria. West Afr J med. 2000, 19: 179-191.PubMed

Grunfeld EA, Ramirez AJ, Hunter MS, Richards MA: Women's knowledge and beliefs regarding breast cancer. Br J cancer. 2002, 86 (9): 1373-1378. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6600260.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

McMenamin M, Barry H, Lennon AM, Purcell H, Baum M, Keegan D, Mc Dermott E, O'Donoghue D, Daly L, Mulcahy H: A survey of breast cancer awareness and knowledge in a Western population: lots of light but little illumination. Eur J Cancer. 2005, 41 (3): 393-397. 10.1016/j.ejca.2004.11.015.CrossRefPubMed

Okobia MN, Bunker CH, Okonofua FE, Osime U: knowledge, attitude and practice of Nigerian women towards breast cancer: A cross-sectional study. World J Surg Oncol. 2006, 4: 11-10.1186/1477-7819-4-11. doi:10.1186/1477-7819-4-11CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Haji-Mahmoodi M, Montazeri A, Jarvandi S, Ebrahimi M, Haghighat S, Harirchi I: Breast self-examination: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among female health care workers in Tehran, Iran. Breast J. 2002, 8 (4): 222-225. 10.1046/j.1524-4741.2002.08406.x.CrossRefPubMed

Lannin DR, Mathews HF, Mitchell J, Swanson MS, Swanson FH, Edwards MS: Influence of Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors on Racial Differences in Late – Stage Presentation of Breast Cancer. JAMA. 1998, 279: 1801-1807. 10.1001/jama.279.22.1801.CrossRefPubMed

Richards MA, Westcombe AM, Love SB, Littlejohns P, Ramirez AJ: Influence of delay on survival in patients with breast cancer: a systemic review. Lancet. 1999, 353 (9159): 1119-1126. 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)02143-1.CrossRefPubMed

Anyanwu SNC: Breast Cancer in Eastern Nigeria. West Afr J med. 2000, 19 (2): 120-125.PubMed

10.

Olsen AH, Njor SH, Verjborg I, Schwartz W, Dalgaard P, Jensen M, Tange UB, Blichert-Toft M, Rank F, Mouridsen H, Lynge E: Breast cancer mortality in Copenhagen after introduction of mammography screening: Cohort study. Br med J. 2005, 330 (7485): 220-10.1136/bmj.38313.639236.82.CrossRef

11.

Smith RA, Cokkinides V, Eyre HJ: American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer, 2005. CA Cancer J Clin. 2005, 55: 31-44. 10.3322/canjclin.55.1.31.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Mitchell J, Lannin DR, Mathews HF, Swanson MS: Religious beliefs and breast cancer screening. J womens Health (Larchmt). 2002, 11 (10): 907-915.CrossRef

13.

Coleman EA, Lord J, Heard J, Coon S, Cantrell M, Mohrmann C, O'sullivan P: The Delta Project: increasing breast cancer screening among rural minority and older women by targeting rural healthcare providers. Oncol Nurse Forum. 2003, 30 (4): 669-677. 10.1188/03.ONF.669-677.CrossRef

14.

Lurie N, Margolis KL, McGovern PG, Mink PJ, Slater JS: Why Do Patients of Female Physicians Have Higher Rates of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening?. J Gen Intern Med. 1997, 12: 34-43. 10.1007/s11606-006-0005-3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

15.

Bekker H, Morrison L, Marteau TM: Breast Screening: GPs' beliefs, attitudes and practices. Family Practice. 1999, 16 (1): 60-65. 10.1093/fampra/16.1.60.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Ahmed F, Mahmud S, Hatcher J, Khan SM: Breast Cancer risk factor knowledge among nurses in teaching hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan: a cross sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2006, 5: 6-10.1186/1472-6955-5-6. doi:10.1186/1472-6955-5-6CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

17.

Cockburn J, Irwiq L, Turnbull D, Simpson JM, Mock P, Tattersall M: Encouraging attendance at screening mammography: knowledge, attitude and intentions of general practitioners. Med J Aust. 1989, 151 (7): 391-396.PubMed

18.

Aderounmu AO, Egbewale BE, Ojofeitimi EO, Fadiora SO, Oguntola AS, Asekun-Olarinmoye EO, Adeoti ML, Akanbi O: Knowledge, attitudes and practices of educated and non-educated women to cancer of the breast in semi-urban and rural areas of south-west, Nigeria. Niger Postgrad med J. 2006, 13 (3): 182-188.PubMed

19.

Odusanya OO, Tayo OO: Breast Cancer knowledge, attitudes and practice among nurses in Lagos, Nigeria. Acta Oncol. 2001, 40 (7): 844-848. 10.1080/02841860152703472.CrossRefPubMed

20.

Jebbin NJ, Adotey JM: Attitudes to, knowledge and practice of breast-self examination (BSE) in Port-Harcourt. Niger J med. 2004, 13 (2): 166-170.PubMed

21.

White K, Wilkes L: The specialist breast care nurses; an evolving role. Collegian. 1999, 6 (4): 8-13.CrossRefPubMed

22.

Madanat H, Merril RM: Breast Cancer risk factor and screening awareness among women nurses and teachers in Amman, Jordan. Cancer Nurs. 2002, 25 (4): 276-282. 10.1097/00002820-200208000-00003.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Powe BD, Underwood S, Canales M, Finnie R: Perceptions about breast cancer among college students: implications for nursing education. J Nurs Educ. 2005, 44 (6): 257-265.PubMed

24.

Uche EEO: Cancer awareness among a Nigerian population. Trop Doct. 1999, 29 (1): 39-40.PubMed

25.

Ishida DN, Toomata-Mayer TF, Braginsky NS: Beliefs and attitudes of Samoan women toward early detections of breast cancer and mammography utilization. Cancer. 2001, 91 (1): 262-266. 10.1002/1097-0142(20010101)91:1+<262::AID-CNCR16>3.0.CO;2-R.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Dundar PE, Ozmen D, Ozturk B, Haspolat G, Akyildiz F, Coban S, Cakiroglu G: The knowledge and attitude of breast-self examination and mammography in a group of women in a rural area in Western Turkey. BMC Cancer. 2006, 6: 43-10.1186/1471-2407-6-43. doi.10.1186/1471-2407-6-43CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

27.

Jacob TC, Penn NE, Brown M: Breast self-examination: knowledge, attitudes, and performance among black women. J Natl Med Assoc. 1989, 81 (7): 769-776.PubMedPubMedCentral

28.

Rosenman KD, Gardiner J, Swanson GM, Mullan P, Zhu Z: U.S farm women's participation in breast cancer screening practices. Cancer. 1995, 75 (1): 47-53. 10.1002/1097-0142(19950101)75:1<47::AID-CNCR2820750110>3.0.CO;2-D.CrossRefPubMed

29.

Azaiza F, Cohen M: Health beliefs and rates of breast cancer screening among Arab women. J women's health (Larchmt). 2006, 15 (5): 520-530. 10.1089/jwh.2006.15.520.CrossRef

30.

Savage SA, Clarke VA: Factors associated with screening Mammography and breast self examination intentions. Health Educ Res. 1996, 11 (4): 409-421. 10.1093/her/11.4.409-a.CrossRefPubMed

31.

Kottke TE, Trapp MA, Fores MM, Kelly AW, Jung SH, Novotny PJ, Pancer LA: Cancer screening behaviours and attitudes of women in southeastern Minnesota. JAMA. 1995, 273 (14): 1099-1105. 10.1001/jama.273.14.1099.CrossRefPubMed

32.

Shapiro S, Coleman EA, Broeders M, Codd M, de Koning H, Fracheboud J, Moss J, Paci E, Stachenko S, Ballard-Barbash R: for the International Breast Cancer Screening Network (IBSN) and the European Network of Pilot Projects for Breast Cancer Screening: Breast cancer screening programmes in 22 countries: current policies, administration and guidelines. Int J Epidemiol. 1998, 27: 735-742. 10.1093/ije/27.5.735.CrossRefPubMed

33.

Thomas DB, Gao DL, Ray RM, Wang WW, Allison CJ, Chen FL, Porter P, Hu YW, Zhao GL, Pan LD, Li W, Wu C, Coriaty Z, Evans I, Lin MG, Stalsberg H, Self SG: Randomized trials of breast self-examination in shanghai: final results. J Natl cancer Inst. 2002, 94: 1445-1457.CrossRefPubMed

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/9/76/prepub

Title: Knowledge of risk factors, beliefs and practices of female healthcare professionals towards breast cancer in a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Nasiru A Ibrahim
Olumuyiwa O Odusanya
Publication date: 01-12-2009
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-9-76

Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras

Prof. Fabrice Barlesi

Developed by: Springer Medicine

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2009

Identification of target genes of transcription factor activator protein 2 gamma in breast cancer cells

Clinical relevance of nine transcriptional molecular markers for the diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in tissue and saliva rinse

KRAS mutation analysis in ovarian samples using a high sensitivity biochip assay

Adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) alone versus CCRT followed by adjuvant chemotherapy: Which is better in patients with radically resected extrahepatic biliary tract cancer?: a non-randomized, single center study

Examination of polymorphic glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, tobacco smoking and prostate cancer risk among Men of African Descent: A case-control study

Is overexpression of HER-2 a predictor of prognosis in colorectal cancer?

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer