Breast cancer knowledge and awareness among females aged 10-24 years in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
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Background
Breast cancer, though rare in females aged 10–24 years, typically presents as a more aggressive disease with poorer prognosis in this population due to distinct biological features and delayed presentation. Creating awareness and disseminating knowledge of breast cancer at a young age is crucial for future risk reduction. However, levels of awareness and knowledge of breast cancer with related factors among females aged 10-24 years in Sub-Saharan Africa are not well documented. This study maps the research landscape on awareness and knowledge of breast cancer, symptoms, signs, risk factors and screening methods and identifies gaps for further research and practice.
Methodology
Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping studies, we reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2024. English-language articles were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost. The search strategy employed a combination of keywords such as “knowledge,” “awareness,” “breast cancer,” “risk factors,” “symptoms,” “signs,” “breast self-examination,” “clinical breast examination,” “mammography,” “10-24 year old females,” and “Sub-Saharan African countries.”
Results
A significant research gap was identified, with only 20 studies addressing breast cancer knowledge and awareness in this specific demographic and region. The majority of the identified studies were conducted in Nigeria. While some general awareness of breast cancer exists, detailed knowledge of specific symptoms, risk factors, and breast self-examination techniques is poor across many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The media was frequently cited as a major source of information.
Conclusion
Research on breast cancer awareness, risk factors, and screening practices among females aged 10–24 in Sub-Saharan Africa is limited. The documented low levels of knowledge highlight a critical need for targeted and more effective public health interventions. Further studies are essential to investigate the underlying reasons for this knowledge gap and should be implemented across diverse settings within Sub-Saharan Africa.
Author Summary
We have reviewed how much is known about breast cancer awareness among young women aged 10-24 years in Sub-Saharan Africa, and we found a significant lack of research. While we know this group needs more knowledge about breast cancer and its risks to improve future outcomes, the available information is limited, with most studies focusing on Nigeria. Our review of existing literature shows that young women in Sub-Saharan Africa generally lack detailed knowledge of specific symptoms, risk factors, and breast self-examination techniques, even though media is a common source of general information. This gap highlights an urgent need for more targeted public health efforts and further studies to understand and address these issues more broadly across the region.
