Teaching Rural Women in Nicaragua the Principles of Breast Health

• Published in: Journal of cancer education Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 560 - 565
• Main Authors: Duda, Rosemary B., Bhushan, Devika
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.09.2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude to Health; Attrition (Research Studies); Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Breast Self-Examination; Cancer; Cancer Research; Capacity Building; Community Relations; Developing Countries; Diagnostic Tests; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Females; Guidelines; Health education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Promotion; Humans; Instructional Materials; Knowledge Level; Mammography; Marital Status; Medical Schools; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Nicaragua; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Public Health; Reading Skills; Rural areas; Screening Tests; Spanish; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Womens health; Writing Instruction; Writing Skills; Young Adult; Nicaragua; Breast cancer; Nicaragua; Clinical breast examination; Breast self-examination; Developing country; Cancer screening
• ISSN: 0885-8195; 1543-0154
• DOI: 10.1007/s13187-011-0244-9

Breast cancer has emerged as an important health condition worldwide, including developing countries. Screening is limited or non-existent in resource-poor areas. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self (SBE) and clinical (CBE) breast examinations among 198 rural Nicaraguan women. Ten (5.1%) had performed a SBE, and 16 (8.1%) had a CBE. CBE was significantly associated with a pre-instruction total score of 70% or greater (OR = 13.7, 95% CI = 1.26, 149.70, p  = 0.03). Family history of breast cancer was significantly associated with performing a SBE (OR = 5.5, 95% CI = 1.10, 27.81, p  = 0.037) and a CBE (OR = 7.1, 95% CI = 1.40, 35.94, p  = 0.018). A CBE is a significant determinant of pre-existing breast health knowledge. Physicians or physician extenders should be encouraged to perform a CBE as a routine component of health care delivery and cancer screening for women.