Breast cancer: knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female schoolteachers in Lagos, Nigeria.
This article examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female schoolteachers concerning breast cancer. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 schoolteachers randomly selected from 12 schools in Lagos, Nigeria. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate their knowledge about the symptoms of breast cancer, methods of diagnosis, risk factors, and breast self-examination. A response rate of 94% (188 respondents) was achieved. Eighty-five percent knew breast cancer was a serious disease, but only 53.2% knew that a breast lump was the most commonly recognized sign. Other symptoms were even less well known. Only 13.8% knew the methods of diagnosis, and knowledge of risk factors was also poor. Breast self-examination was practiced by 62% of respondents; 11% practiced it on a monthly basis, but only 25% were deemed to possess sufficient knowledge about the procedure. One-quarter of participants were categorized as possessing a satisfactory knowledge of breast cancer. The level of awareness on breast cancer is very low among this group of female schoolteachers.
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Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Olumuyiwa88@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires