Knowledge and practices of women in Iraqi universities on breast self examination

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the knowledge and practice of breast self-examination [BSE], among a sample of educated Iraqi women. The study sample comprised 858 women aged 18-62 years affiliated to 6 major Iraqi universities, categorized according to occupation as teaching staff [11.5%], administrative staff [18.0%] and students [70.5%]. Data were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. In all, 93.9% of the women had heard about BSE, the main source of information was television [39.9%], doctors [18.4%] and the awareness campaign of the Iraqi National Breast Cancer Research Programme [11.6%]. Only 53.9% of the women practised BSE; the most common excuses by those that did not were lack of knowledge of the significance of BSE [42.0%] and lack of confidence in their ability to perform BSE [39.5%]. Just over 38% did not seek medical advice if they experienced signs/symptoms of breast disease, attributing that to reasons of timidity, lack of time or fear of discovering cancer. The majority [88%] of the women were willing to instruct others in BSE [after training], 40% of whom were interested in collaborating with the National Breast Cancer Awareness Programme in Iraq