Knowledge and Practice of Breast Cancer Screening and Awareness of Its Risk Factors Among Reproductive Women of Jammu and Kashmir

Breast cancer is the most common type of malignancy among women worldwide, therefore, it becomes necessary to understand the breast cancer literacy among women. Breast cancer literacy includes knowledge of breast cancer screening, practice of breast cancer screening and awareness of breast cancer risk factors. OBJECTIVES: To determine level of awareness and practice of breast cancer screening, to assess level of awareness of breast cancer risk factors and to establish role of demographics in uptake and knowledge of breast cancer screening. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this study, reproductive women were taken and questionnaires given were filled by 381 respondents. Relevant questions were asked keeping in view the objectives. Role of age and maximum education of women was also established. RESULTS: It was found that majority of women who were aware of breast cancer screening belonged to age-group 21-30 having mean of 56.19% and also showed higher practice of the same as compared to others (mean=50.1%) followed by women belonging to age-group 31-40 whose knowledge mean came out to be 25.5% and mean of practice was found to be 35.26%. The other two age groups of 15-20 and 41-45 showed low knowledge and less practice of breast cancer screening. Similar results were found out for other parameter. CONCLUSION: Women whose maximum education was graduate and above showed higher level of awareness of breast cancer screening and risk factors and also higher practice of breast cancer screening as compared to women who had lower educational background.