Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Of Young Women (Age 18-25) In Bangalore City With Regards To Self-Breast Examination

IntroductionBreast cancer is a global health concern and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Breast self examination (BSE) is a commonly recommended screening method for breast cancer. This study intends to assess the knowledge of breast cancer and its screening in women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city and to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city with regards to breast self examination among the female college students studying non medical courses in Bangalore City, Karnataka, India. Materials and methodsA questionnaire based study was conducted among women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city and their scores in the fields of knowledge, attitude, and practice were calculated.Independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test of significance were used to examine the relation between the demographic characteristics and scores. ResultsThe mean knowledge score was 3.05 (SD:1.37, range:0-6). Knowledge scores significantly differed across family income per month (P<0.05), age groups (P<0.001), and level of education of father (P<0.05). The mean attitude score was 3.95 (SD:1.78, range:1-8). The mean practice score was 0.83 (SD: 0.954, range:0-3).Practice scores varied significantly across age groups (P<0.05), level of education of mother (P<0.05) and occupation of father (P<0.001).The correlation coefficients are 0.484 and 0.257 respectively (p<0.05). ConclusionBreast Self Exam (BSE) is an easy method of early detection of breast cancer. There is a need to develop and adopt culturally appropriate and proven interventions to inform and train women about BSE in a diverse country like India. The study can be used as a basis to help raise awareness about BSE and its benefits among the same.