KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF YOUNG WOMEN (AGE 18-25) IN BANGALORE CITY WITH REGARDS TO SELF-BREAST EXAMINATION

Introduction: Breast cancer is a global health concern and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Breast self examination (BSE) is a commonly recommended screening method for breast cancer. This study intends to assess the knowledge of breast cancer and its screening in women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city and to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city with regards to breast self examination among the female college students studying non medical courses in Bangalore City, Karnataka, India. Materials and methods: A questionnaire‑based study was conducted among women aged 18-25 in Bangalore city and their scores in the fields of knowledge, attitude, and practice were calculated.Independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test of significance were used to examine the relation between the demographic characteristics and scores. Results: The mean knowledge score was 3.05 (SD:1.37, range:0-6). Knowledge scores significantly differed across family income per month (P<0.05), age groups (P<0.001), and level of education of father (P<0.05). The mean attitude score was 3.95 ( SD:1.78, range:1-8). The mean practice score was 0.83 (SD: 0.954, range:0-3).Practice scores varied significantly across age groups (P<0.05) , level of education of mother (P<0.05) and occupation of father (P<0.001).The correlation coefficients are 0.484 and 0.257 respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Breast Self Exam (BSE) is an easy method of early detection of breast cancer. There is a need to develop and adopt culturally appropriate and proven interventions to inform and train women about BSE in a diverse country like India. The study can be used as a basis to help raise awareness about BSE and its benefits among the same.