Attitudes to, knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE) in Port Harcourt.
BACKGROUND
Many of the cases of carcinoma of the breast we find in our clinic are advanced, sometimes with fungation. We believe that if women in Port Harcourt are knowledgeable about breast self-examination (BSE) and practise it, this scenario may not be so.


OBJECTIVE
The study is intended to highlight the extent of their knowledge vis-à-vis their practice of BSE.


METHODS
A written questionnaire was distributed to 200 women from different walks of life in Port Harcourt to assess their attitudes to, knowledge and practice of BSE. Their responses were then collated and analyzed.


RESULTS
Ninety-eight percent of the respondents had formal education, majority having obtained tertiary education. Eighty-five point five percent of them had heard of BSE but 39.0% practised BSE only occasionally, while 24.0% did not practise it at all. Among 76 health workers who participated in the study, 60.0% of doctors and 53.7% of nurses practised BSE only occasionally. Only one doctor could describe how to perform BSE correctly. The news media, nurses and physicians were the commonest sources of information on BSE.


CONCLUSIONS
Most women in Port Harcourt, though aware of BSE and its usefulness never practise it. Those who care to practise it are ignorant of how to correctly do it. There is need for a vigorous health education programme on this subject for our women. It is hoped that this will help to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with carcinoma of the breast.
Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
N J
NJ
Jebbin
J M
JM
Adotey
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires