Breast Cancer: Knowledge, Attitudes on Risk Factors and Means of Screening by Medical Students from Lomé, Togo

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women around the world. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge and attitudes about breast cancer screening among students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lomé. Methods: This was a prospective descriptive transversal study conducted among students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSS) of the University of Lomé (UL) in the 2019 school year account 2020. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of medical students about breast cancer screening. Results: In total, the questionnaire was completed by 934 students, for a response rate of 57.1%. The most frequently mentioned risk factors were the presence of a family history of breast cancer (n = 799, 85.55%) and the use of oral or injectable contraceptives (n = 606, 64.88%). There is a statistically significant link between the participants' knowledge of the self-examination and clinical examination of the breasts and certain socio-demographic characteristics, namely age (OR = 0.2, 95% CI [0.11-0.75], p-value < 0.0001), the level of study (OR = 1.5, 95% CI [0.55-2.46], p-value = 0.0054), the follow-up of a course on breast cancer (OR = 2.63, 95% CI [0.32-4.33], p-value = 0.009) and the effectiveness of an internship in a gynecology-obstetrics department (OR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.49-2.56], p-value < 0.0001). Similarly, there is a statistically significant link between participants' knowledge of mammography and cer-How to cite this paper:

Knowledge on Breast Cancer and Practice of Self-Examination among Schoolgirls in Democratic Republic of the Congo

“…Twenty six seventy four percent of schoolgirls reported that bearing money on breasts was a common risk factor of breast cancer according to our findings. These results do not corroborate with those found by Darre T, et al, in Togo which demonstrated that the answer of students to risk factors of breast cancer has been globally satisfying and the risk factors settled for the breast cancer comprised reproductive factors and hormonal (menarche, delayed menopause, nulliparous, oestrogens exogenous), the genetic, age, adiposity, alcohol consumption and meanness [11]. On the other hand, a feeble knowledge of risk factors ends often up by bad attitudes and bad behaviors concerning the maintenance of safe lifestyle and screening methods of breast cancer [13].…”

“…In our series 61.75% of schoolgirls are aware of the existence of breast cancer. On the other hand in the study of Darre T, et al, in Togo, female medical students in general were aware of the existence of breast cancer [11]. This low knowledge rate on breast cancer could be justified by lack of sensitization on the condition in different areas throughout the country.…”

“…For knowledge and skills on self-examination of breasts, 61.64% of schoolgirls claimed to be unaware of self-examination and many schoolgirls (61.85%) did not perform self-examination in our series. contrary to Darre T, et al, [11] in Togo wherein 83.6% of schoolgirls performed a self-examination of breast and clinic check-up of breast. Although self-examination is the common used technique of early detection, evidence of its effectiveness is discussed.…”

“…Fifty eight point ninety four percent of schoolgirls were aware of breast cancer. In the study of Darre T, et al, in Togo, female medical students in general had knowledge about breast cancer [11]. This is a problem linked to our environment, since other sources of information are not exploited.…”

“…A feeble level of knowledge and sensitization on risk factors of breast cancer seems to drag along stiffness to recognize symptoms of breast cancer, severity of disease and advanced stages of the condition owing to delay in looking out for support. The breast cancer kills silently the women, principally those one who are not aware of breast cancer and the screening methods for early detection [11,14].…”