title: Are women in Kuwait aware of breast cancer and its diagnostic procedures?
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the knowledge and awareness of women in Kuwait with regard to risk factors, symptoms and diagnostic procedures of breast cancer. A total of 521 questionnaires were distributed among women in Kuwait. Results showed that 72% of respondents linked breast cancer factors to family history, while 69.7% scored abnormal breast enlargement as the most detectable symptom of the disease. Some 84% of participants had heard about self-examination, but knowledge about mammograms was limited to 48.6% and only 22.2% were familiar with diagnostic procedures. Some 22.9% of respondents identified the age over 40 years as the reasonable age to start mammogram screening. Risk factor awareness was independent on age groups (p>0.05), but both high education and family history increased the likelihood of postivie answers; the majority knew about a few factors such as aging, pregnancy after age 30, breast feeding for short time, menopause after age of 50, early puberty, and poor personal hygiene. In conclusion, 43.1% of participants had an overall good knowledge of breast cancer with regards to symptoms, risk factors and breast examination. Very highly significant associations (p<0.005) were evident for all groups except for respondents distributed by nationality (p=0.444). Early campaigns for screening the breast should be recommended to eliminate the confusion of wrong perceptions about malignant mammary disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Sulaibikhat, Kuwait E-mail : raed-alsaeed@hsc.edu.kw.
authors.forename: Raed Saeed
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Yousif Yacoub
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: Layla Mohammed
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires