Supervisors info:
Γκιόκας Γεώργιος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ιακωβίδου Νικολέττα, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κουσκούνη Ευαγγελία, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
ntroduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death among women. Nowadays, mammography screening is the Gold-standard for timely detection and early onset of treatment.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and behavioral response of women towards breast cancer.
Methodology: This is a cross-correlation study. The study population consisted of 300 women aged 30 to 70 years, who lived in urban and semi-urban areas. Data were collected by administration of the questionnaire of the Scientific Mammological Society - Iasi - Support. Cronbach a index was 0.713. The statistical analysis was performed with the statistical program SPSS v.21).
Results: Most participants were 0-40 years old (44%), high school graduates (41.7%), middle-income (73.7%), married (62.7%) and lived in urban regions (62%). The majority of information on breast cancer was provided by breast cancer were a personal physician (38.9%), the internet (21.9%) and television (16.4%). Totally, 80.7% of the participants had a family history of breast cancer, 59% underwent a mammography exam, and 64.7% underwent a breast ultrasound. In a total of 13 questions, participants responded correctly to 5.05±1.7 questions or 38.8%±13.3% of all questions. Participants aged 41-50 years had undergone more imaging exams both by use of mammography (p<0.05) and breast ultrasound (p<0.05), had visited a specialist (p<0.05) and answered correctly more questions (p<0.05). Participants who were tertiary graduates reported a higher incidence of breast self-examination (p<0.05). Participants with a high financial status believe that they should visit the clinician more frequently for screening (p <0.05). Patients living in an urban area reported higher mammography (64% vs 50.9%, p<0.05) and breast ultrasound rates (72.6% vs. 51.8%, p<0.05), had a higher incidence of visiting a specialized doctor (56.5% vs. 38.6%, p<0.05), performed more frequent breast self-examinations their breasts (3.7±1.5 vs. 4.1±1.6, p<0.05) and believe they should visit the specialized physician for examination more regularly (2±0.6 vs. 2.2±0.9, p<0.05).
Conclusions: This study showed a poor level of knowledge about the risk factors of breast cancer in the study population. It is necessary to inform women and to participate in the screening programs.
Key words: screening, breast cancer, women, prevention, knowledge
Keywords:
Cancer, Breast, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Information
