A Survey on Breast Cancer Awareness Among Medical, Paramedical, and General Population in North India Using Self-Designed Questionnaire: a Prospective Study

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) has become the most common cancer in urban women. Unfortunately, most women are not aware of BC symptoms/signs, prevention, and management. In resource-limited countries like India where we do not have structured screening/awareness programs, a majority of women present with locally advanced BC. The aim of our study is to identify the present status of awareness about BC prevention, early detection, symptoms, and management in urban and rural Indian women (medical, paramedical, and nonmedical) and to assess whether education and socioeconomic strata have any role in better awareness about BC or not. We did a prospective cross-sectional observation study among the medical, paramedical, and nonmedical women in the northern part of India. We designed a questionnaire keeping in mind the three domains about BC—knowledge (questions 1–25 include risk factors, genetics, lifestyle changes, hormones, associated cancers, and modes of presentation like lump, nipple/skin changes), breast self-examination (questions 25–37), and attitude to prevention and early detection (questions 38–44). We also asked how many do breast self-examination (BSE) and what they think are the three main factors responsible for late presentation and the three main ways to increase BC awareness. The Likert scale was used for objective assessment. We analyzed the whole data using SPSS software version 15. A total of 220 women out of 270 completed the questionnaire. Out of 220 women, 26.4% were medical, 20.9% paramedical, and 52.7% nonmedical. Most women were educated (82.7%) and married (65%). 59.5% women resided in urban areas and the rest (40.5%) were from rural areas. We found that there was relatively more knowledge in the medical group; however, the skills of BSE and attitude to prevention and early detection in all the three subgroups and among rural and urban women were suboptimal and not different significantly. The three main factors responsible for delayed presentation were shyness and not knowing BSE, ignorance about BC symptoms, and social stigma of cancer along with financial constraints. The three main ways to improve BC awareness suggested were to have more advertisements on television and social media, roadside campaigns and in colleges along with group discussions and debates, and at grassroots level to involve Anganwadi workers and nurses to create more awareness in villages. There was less breast cancer knowledge and awareness among the nonmedical women compared to those among the medical and paramedical, the skills of BSE and attitude to prevention and early detection were suboptimal in all the three groups. Rural or urban dwellings did not make much difference in BC knowledge, skills of BSE, and attitude to prevention. More awareness regarding breast cancer symptoms with early detection and BSE need to be addressed with more information dissemination via social media, campaigns, and involvement of paramedics and social workers.