title: Barriers for early detection of cancer amongst Indian rural women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast and cervical cancer are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women worldwide, but actually they are largely preventable diseases. Healthcare providers in developing countries regularly see women with advanced, incurable cancers. Health of a rural Indian women and her access to health facility is compromised due to sociocultural, economical, and environmental factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To know the problems associated with early detection of cancers in rural women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural area and cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  STUDY SUBJECT: Women of 35 years and above.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not willing to participate.
  
  
  METHODS
  All eligible women of selected villages.
  Random selection of villages. Study duration: 2 months. Study tools: Pretested questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages, χ(2) test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Awareness about symptoms, possibility of early detection, available tests, possibility of cure of disease was low. Main barrier for screening was cognitive, that is, 'don't know' answer by 83.99% women for cancer cervix, 84.93%, for cancer breast, and 67.26% for oral cancer. Awareness score was significantly associated with age (χ(2) = 17.77, P = 0.001), education (χ(2) = 34.62, P = 0.000), and income (χ(2) = 16.72, P = 0.002); while attitude score with age (χ(2) = 16.27, P = 0.012) and education (χ(2) = 25.16, P = 0.003). Practice score was significantly associated with age (χ(2) = 11.28, P = 0.023), education (χ(2) = 32.27, P = 0.003), and occupation (χ(2) = 10.69, P = 0.03). Awareness, attitude, and practice score of women having history of cancer in family or relative was significantly high than women without history.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive barrier was the important barrier which has to be taken care of.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Yugantara R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Randhir V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Dhobale
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Alka D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gore
keywords: Barriers; early detection; rural; screening