title: Knowledge, attitude and practices amongst the Pakistani females towards breast cancer screening programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices amongst Pakistani females towards breast screening programmes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2013 to July2014 at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, and comprised attendants and patients who visited out-patients department and/or were treated as in-patients. The questionnaire contained 25 open and close-ended questions regarding knowledge and attitude, along with 7 questions regarding practices. Data was analysed using SPSS 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1184 women with a mean age of 32.7±8.6 years. The mean score was 12.7±4.9. Positive family history of breast cancer was reported by 156(13.2%) women; 420(35.5%) believed advancing age was a risk factor; 1041(87.9%) never had breast self-examination; 1106(93.4%) never had a clinical breast examination; and 1171(98.9%) never had screening mammogram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge and practices regarding breast cancer screening, breast self-examination and mammogram among women were not good. The knowledge about breast cancer risk factors was very poor and showed an alarming attitude towards practices.
authors.affiliation: West Surgical Ward, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Muhammad Zeeshan
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Sarwar
authors.affiliation: West Surgical Ward, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Syed Farazul
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hassan Shah
authors.affiliation: Ibn-e-Siena Hospital/Multan Medical and Dental College, Multan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rehan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yousaf
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, General Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Qamar Ashfaq
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: West Surgical Ward, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
authors.forename: Sadaqat Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Breast self-examination, Nuliparous, Breast clinical examination, Mammography.