title: Teaching rural women in Nicaragua the principles of breast health.
abstract: Breast cancer has emerged as an important health condition worldwide, including developing countries. Screening is limited or non-existent in resource-poor areas. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self (SBE) and clinical (CBE) breast examinations among 198 rural Nicaraguan women. Ten (5.1%) had performed a SBE, and 16 (8.1%) had a CBE. CBE was significantly associated with a pre-instruction total score of 70% or greater (OR = 13.7, 95% CI = 1.26, 149.70, p = 0.03). Family history of breast cancer was significantly associated with performing a SBE (OR = 5.5, 95% CI = 1.10, 27.81, p = 0.037) and a CBE (OR = 7.1, 95% CI = 1.40, 35.94, p = 0.018). A CBE is a significant determinant of pre-existing breast health knowledge. Physicians or physician extenders should be encouraged to perform a CBE as a routine component of health care delivery and cancer screening for women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. rduda@caregroup.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Rosemary B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: Devika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhushan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D003906:Developing Countries; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009527:Nicaragua; D013663:Teaching; D055815:Young Adult