Knowledge and Practice of Breast Cancer Screening Among Egyptian Nurses

Abstract

AIM To describe the levels of knowledge about breast cancer and its early detection, determine the extent of breast self-examination (BSE) practice, and assess barriers for not practicing BSE among Mansoura nurses.

 

METHODS This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among female nurses working in different healthcare settings in Mansoura University Hospitals during five months from June to October 2008. A convenience sample of 133 eligible nurses aged 30-48 years was recruited for the study. Two questionnaires were used for data collection: one for breast cancer risk factors and early detection; and the other for the practice of and barriers to BSE.

 

RESULTS The total percent of correct answers for all knowledge items about different breast cancer risk factors and early detection was 39.9%. Nurses' knowledge about early-detection methods was limited, the highest score was that an early detection of breast cancer can help with successful treatment of breast cancer (60.2%), followed by knowledge that every woman who is 20 years or older should perform breast self-examination once every month (52.6%), 56.4% nurses reported performing BSE during their lifetime, only 18.8% of the nurses practiced BSE on a monthly basis.

 

CONCLUSION Nurses had limited levels of knowledge about breast cancer risk factors and methods of early detection; few nurses practiced BSE monthly. Continuing education programs for nurses are urgently needed to improve nurses' knowledge about breast cancer and BSE. There is also very urgent need for updating the various curricular of these nurses to include courses in screening methods for early detection of breast cancer. Regular update courses for nurses on health maintenance practices are also recommended.