Awareness level and attitude towards breast cancer screening practices among female health workers in Esanland, Edo state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated breast cancer screening practices among female health workers in Esanland, Edo State. The study was descriptive and adopted the survey research design. The participants were 750 females from the five local government areas of Esanland, Edo State. The instrument used was a questionnaire, titled “Awareness, Attitude and Practice of Breast Cancer Screening Inventory” adapted from Akhigbe and Omuemu’s (2009) Breast Cancer Screening Questionnaire. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics. The study found that over half (54.8%) of the respondents in the study area were not aware of breast cancer screening; the respondents (55.6%) had low knowledge of breast cancer screening; 67.3% of female health workers in Esanland had never been screened for breast cancer. The study recommended that, there should be interactive sessions between health workers and guidance counsellors, where new facts concerning breast cancer are discussed and ideas exchanged for the health benefit of the clients.

Keywords: Breast cancer, breast examination, female health workers, breast screening, routine breast examination.