Predictors of breast self - examination among female teachers in Ethiopia using health belief model

Abstract

BackgroundBreast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer of women. It is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide. Approximately one out of eight women develops breast cancer all over the world. Majority of cases of cancer of the breast are detected by women themselves, stressing the importance of breast self-examination. The main objective of this study was to assess predictors of breast self-examination among female teachers in Kafa Zone, South West part of Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 315 female teachers. Self administered a structured questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about breast cancer and perception of teachers on breast self examination using the Champion’s revised Health Belief Model sub scales used as data collection instrument. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of breast self -examination performance.ResultThree hundred and fifteen female teachers were participated in this study. Their mean age was 33 SD [±7] years. Only 52 (16.5 %) participants ever heard about breast self examination and from those who heard about breast self examination 38 (73.07 %) of them ever performed breast self examination. After controlling for possible confounding factors, the result showed that knowledge towards breast self examination, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity and the net perceived benefit were found to be the major predictors of breast self examination.ConclusionThis study revealed that breast self examination performance among female teachers was very low. Therefore, behavior change communication and interventions that emphasize different domains that increase the perceived threat to breast cancer as well as on the benefits of breast self-examination to increase the perception of the teachers in an integrated manner may be the most effective strategies that should be considered by the health offices and educational offices. These may help to increase the knowledge and skill of female teachers on how to perform breast self-examination and its importance hence helpful for wider of the community.

<p>Breast Self-Examination Practice and Associated Factors Among Secondary School Female Teachers in Gammo Gofa Zone, Southern, Ethiopia</p>

“…4% of HEWs had practiced BSE on a monthly basis. 12,13 This similarity might be due to the study being conducted in the same geographical area (the same country) that made certain characteristics of this population similar. On the contrary, it is also much lower than the cross-sectional studies conducted in Selangor, Malaysia among female teachers (19%) in 2011, Saudi women (21%) in 2015, Malaysian women (28.5%) in 2012, Nigerian female teachers (19%) in 2014, and female health professionals in western Ethiopia (33.7%) in 2017.…”

“…10 Different studies conclude this may be due to lack of uniform information, education, and communication about the breast cancer disease, and screening methods were found to be a public health challenge. 11 In addition, only 12.1% monthly in Kafa, southwest Ethiopia in 2015, 12 and only 14.4% of health extension workers (HEWs) in West Gojam practiced BSE regularly; 13 one-third of the participants (33.7%) only practiced regularly in 2017 by health professionals in Addis Ababa. 2 Factors contributing to the low level of BSE practices as identified by different literatures where knowledge of BSE and breast cancer, income, 14 level of education, 17,23 ever heard about BSE, 15 perception factors and others.…”

Practices of Breast Self-Examination and Associated Factors among Female Debre Berhan University Students

“…However, participants who know how to perform BSE were 11 times, participants who know when to perform were 3.5 times, participants who know the three positions to perform were 2.3 times and participants who perceive BSE as important and useful were 6.8 times more likely to practice BSE as compared to those who do not know. This may be explained by the fact that knowledge of BSE was recognized as a necessary precursor to student's adherence performance of BSE [17]. …”

Cost of Illness of Breast Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy in Addis Ababa Public Hospitals, the Case of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Teaching Hospital-Cross-Sectional Types of Study

“…In recent years, female breast cancer cases are increasing in Ethiopia, for instance in the year 2012 total breast cancer cases were 12, 956 and 87% of them were below the age of 65 at the time of diagnosis and in 2015, the number of cases increased to 14, 204 and similar proportion of them were below the age of 65 yr [10].…”