title: Missed opportunities for breast awareness information among women attending the maternal and child health services of an urban tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common cancer that affects women worldwide. Many women, however, are not exposed to information that will promote awareness and early detection of this disease. We undertook this study to determine the missed opportunities to breast awareness information at the maternal and child health (MCH) services of our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July and September 2011, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of women attending the postnatal and immunization clinics (ICs) of our hospital. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 492 respondents were randomly selected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the respondents was 27.67 years (standard deviation 5.92 years). Only 56.1% (276/492) had a postsecondary education, and 58.7% (289/492) were multiparous. Among the respondents, 81.7% had been exposed to breast awareness information at the antenatal clinic, 6.55% at the postnatal clinic, and 5.24% at the IC. There was a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between missed opportunity for breast awareness information and family income (P = 0.019) and also with the level of education (P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the opportunities to educate women on breast awareness were missed at the postnatal and ICs of our hospital. Integrating breast health education into MCH care programs in developing countries will assist in the early detection of breast pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Paediatric Surgery Unit, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Lofty-John Chukwuemeka
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Anyanwu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oluseun Mubo
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Anyanwu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, General Surgery Unit, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ahmed Ashuku
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Yakubu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011181:Postnatal Care; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult