Knowledge and practice of breast cancer screening among female nurses and lay women in Osogbo, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African women.  Most researchers have attributed the late presentation to poor knowledge of breast cancer symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between knowledge and practice of breast cancer screening in two groups of women with different levels of knowledge of breast carcinoma.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted using self administered questionnaire to assess  the knowledge, attitudes and practice of breast cancer and screening programmes among nurses in a university teaching hospital,  and women in non health professionals in south-western Nigeria.


RESULTS
The mean knowledge score for the nurses was 10.9%±3.6 whereas the mean score for non-health professionals was 3.5%±4.1 (p value < 0.001).  In those above the age of 40 years, comprising 141 subjects, 35 nurses  and 106 women in non-health professionals,  22.9% and 15% respectively  had had a mammogram (p=0.289,1.123).


CONCLUSIONS
Good knowledge does not imply better screening rates in south-western Nigeria.
LAUTECH College of Health Sciences, Department of Radiology, PMB 4400, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.  Email: topebello@gmail.com.
T O
TO
Bello
A I
AI
Olugbenga-Bello
A S
AS
Oguntola
M L
ML
Adeoti
O M
OM
Ojemakinde
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009726:Nurses; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires