Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices for breast cancer

ABSTRACT

To determine the knowledge and practice of breast cancer in medical community. Design: A cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study The study was carried out in the Department of Oncology, Services Hospital, Lahore and completed in one month. Subjects and About 200 female doctors and nurses of the Hospital were involved. Each subject was asked to fill up a proforma designed to assess knowledge, risk factors and preventive practices of the breast cancer. Using non-probability convenience sampling technique, breast self-examination [BSE] and mammography was performed as screening of breast cancer. A majority had good knowledge of the risk factors and screening method for the early detection of breast Cancer. Majority had the consensus on the benefit of mammography. Conclusions: The study shows that although medical professionals had fairly good knowledge about screening methods and risk factors of breast cancer their preventive practices were scanty in high risk population and, therefore, physicians and nurses need proper training