Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Breast Self-examination Among Women in a Suburban Area in Terengganu, Malaysia

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Malaysian women, irrespective ofage group and ethnicity. The observed low survival rates are related to late stage at presentation despite theavailability of breast self examination (BSE) as a reliable screening method for early detection. Materials and
Methods: This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice towardsBSE amongst women aged 15 years old and above. Systemic random sampling was applied and informationgathered through guided interview by using a structured questionnaire.
Results: A total of 86 respondents wererecruited, with a mean age of 40.5 years (SD: 15.51), more than 80% having a secondary or tertiary level ofeducation. The total score was 16.9 (total mean percent: 60.4%) for knowledge, 37.1 (77.3%) for attitude and9.56 (34.1%) for practice. The proportions of respondents with good score for knowledge, attitude and practicewere 38.4%, 73.3% and 7.0%, respectively. Not knowing the correct method of BSE, lack of knowledge on cancersigns and lack of motivational support from parents, spouse or friends appeared to be related with the poorpractices.
Conclusion: Enhancement of breast cancer awareness and focusing on recognized barriers by healthcare professionals with the involvement of spouses, family and community would have a substantial beneficialimpact on BSE practice.