BREAST CANCER SCREENING KNOWLEDGE an‎d PRACTICE AMONG WOMEN IN SOUTHEAST OF IRAN

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The mortality rate of breast cancer can be reduced by regular breast cancer screening program. This study was carried out to identify the knowledge and practice of women about breast cancer screening in Zahedan, southeast of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 384 women were selected as an improbability sample of women referring to Qouds Maternity Hospital. Knowledge and practice of them about breast cancer screening were investigated through face-to-face interview based on a purposed questionnaire, and data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Only 8.3% of women were aware of breast cancer screening methods. About breast self-examination 21.6% and about mammography 3.4% had good knowledge. Overall knowledge of breast cancer screening was insufficient in 67.4%. There was statistically significant relationship between knowledge of breast cancer screening and level of education, history of individual breast disease, and history of breast cancer in their families (P < 0.001). There was statistically significant and inverse relationship between knowledge of how to examine the breasts and knowledge about mammography with age (P < 0.001). Practices of women in Zahedan about breast cancer screening were very low. Only 4.5% of women performed breast self examination, on a regular basis, 4.1% had ever had a clinical breast examination, and %1.3 had a mammography throughout their life. Our findings suggest that knowledge and practice about breast cancer screening was relatively poor and it needs to be improved.