Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, and Practices of Self Breast Examination in Nicaragua.

Self breast examination (SBE) has been recommended as an important preventative practice for the early identification of breast cancer in women. However, our understanding of women's knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self breast examination in Nicaragua is limited. In the present study, we conducted a cross-sectional study of women aged 18 years and over (n=500) living in selected urban and rural areas of Nicaragua. Measures included the survey reflected knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and practices related to self breast examination. We compared these measures between women living in urban and rural areas and women aged 18-39 years and 40+ years. Using a t-test, we tested the significance of these differentials. Results indicate widespread and significant differentials in basic knowledge and behaviors on self-breast examination practices among women living in rural and urban locations in Nicaragua. Further, while younger women reported significant and lower overall knowledge about breast cancer (BC), purpose and reasons for SBE, characteristics of women who tend to be at higher risk for BC, and strategies and steps women take performing SBE compared to women who were in the 40+ age group. Study results call for location and population-specific programs and policies addressing disparities in breast cancer prevention efforts in the country.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, and Practices of Self-Breast Examination in Jalisco, Mexico.

The importance of self-breast examination to identify early signs of breast cancer has been widely discussed in scientific literature. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of women aged 18 years and over (n = 547) living in urban and rural areas in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Survey questions included measures on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and practices related to self-breast examination. We compared these measures between women living in urban and rural areas and women aged 18-39 years and 40+ years. Using t-test, we tested the significance of these differentials. Our results indicate that there is no significant difference in knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and practices regarding self-breast examination between women living in urban and in rural areas of Jalisco. However, we found some difference in these measures between women in 18-39 years and 40+ years. While the State of Jalisco has taken significant steps toward promoting significance of cancer prevention, further attention to women in the older cohort is recommended.

Detección del cáncer de mama en México: síntesis de los resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Reproductiva / Breast cancer examination in Mexico: summary of the results from the National Survey of Reproductive Health

OBJETIVO: Presentar una síntesis de los resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Reproductiva 2003 sobre la práctica de revisión y examen clínico de los senos. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Por medio de estadísticas descriptivas y modelos de regresión múltiple se identificaron las principales características sociodemográficas y sitios de información sobre la práctica de revisión y el examen clínico de los senos en cerca de 20 000 mujeres, de 15 a 49 años, residentes en áreas rurales y urbanas del país. RESULTADOS: Las mujeres jóvenes con menor escolaridad y estrato socioeconómico, residentes de áreas urbanas, informaron un práctica significativamente baja tanto de la revisión como del examen clínico de los senos. La frecuencia de mujeres con cáncer de mama (CaMa) fue mayor en el área rural respecto de la urbana. CONCLUSIONES: Es necesario establecer medidas para la estandarización y control de la calidad del examen clínico de los senos y coadyuvar a la prevención y control del CaMa en México.

OBJECTIVE: To present a summary of the results of the National Survey of Reproductive Health 2003 regarding the practice of self and clinical breast examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The main sociodemographic characteristics and site of information about self and clinical breast examination, in 20 000 women 15 to 49 years of age residing in rural and urban areas, were identified by simple statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Younger women with lower scholarity and socioeconomical status residing in rural areas informed a statistically lower self and clinical breast examination. A higher frequency of breast cancer was found in rural vs. urban area. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies for standardization and quality control for the clinical breast examination are needed to contribute in the prevention and control of breast cancer in Mexico.

Exame clínico das mamas no Programa de Saúde da Família: experiência no litoral sul do Brasil / Clinical breast exam in the health family program: experience in the south coast of Brazil

Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência de achados benignos e incidência bruta do câncer de mama napopulação feminina atendida em três postos de saúde associados ao Programa de Saúde da Família(PSF) no município de Xangri-Lá, RS, Brasil. Métodos: A partir de um projeto de extensão daFaculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, agentes de saúde ligadosao PSF convidaram mulheres com mais de 20 anos de idade a fazerem uma avaliação clínica dasmamas nos postos de saúde do município. Um questionário semi-estruturado foi aplicado e, a partirdas variáveis coletadas e do exame físico, fez-se um banco de dados. Resultados: Foram incluídas728 mulheres atendidas no PSF. As alterações benignas de forma e volume ocorreram em 11,4%, asalterações mamilares em 3,4% e a dor referida como mamária em 7%. A taxa bruta de incidência docâncer de mama foi de 128 por 100 mil mulheres. Conclusões: As alterações mamárias ocorreramem 15% das pacientes, e o câncer de mama pôde ser eficientemente diagnosticado por médico treinadono exame das mamas. Espera-se que, a partir dos resultados deste estudo, mais ações de saúdepossam ser estabelecidas para a prevenção e o controle do câncer de mama na atenção primária.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of benign findings and breast cancer incidence among the femininepopulation examined in all the three public offices (PO) associated to the Health Family Program(PSF) in Xangri-Lá, RS, Brazil. Methods: Taking part in an extension project from the Medical Schoolof the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, agents from the PSF invited women older than 20 years ofage to perform a breast clinical evaluation in one of the PO. A semi-structured questionnaire was appliedand a database was created to store information from the collected variables and the physical examination.Results: Seven hundred twenty-eigth patients were included. Abnormal breast shape and volume weredetected in 11.4% of cases, nipple abnormalities in 3.4% and referred breast pain in 7.0%. The gross incidencerate of breast cancer was 128 per 100.000 women. Conclusion: Abnormal-benign examinationswere present in 15% of patients and breast cancer was successfully diagnosed by a physician trained inclinical breast examination. We hope that these results could stimulate new programs for prevention andcontrol of breast cancer, applied to primary attention.