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. 2018 Oct:4:1-13.
doi: 10.1200/JGO.18.00095.

Breast Cancer Awareness and Barriers to Early Presentation in the Gaza-Strip: A Cross-Sectional Study

Affiliations

Breast Cancer Awareness and Barriers to Early Presentation in the Gaza-Strip: A Cross-Sectional Study

Mohamedraed Elshami et al. J Glob Oncol. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: Timely detection of breast cancer (BC) is important to reduce its related deaths. Hence, high awareness of its symptoms and risk factors is required. This study aimed to assess the awareness level of BC among females in Gaza.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed during September and October 2017 in Gaza, Palestine. Stratified sampling was used to recruit patients from four hospitals and seven high schools. The validated Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (BCAM) was used to assess confidence and behavior in relation to breast changes, awareness of BC symptoms and risk factors, barriers to seek medical help, and knowledge of BC screening. Women (age ≥ 18 years) visiting or admitted to any of the four hospitals, and female adolescents (age 15 to 17 years) in any of the seven schools, were recruited for face-to-face interviews to complete the BCAM.

Results: Of 3,055 women approached, 2,774 participants completed the BCAM questionnaire (response rate, 90.8%); 1,588 (57.2%) were adults, and 1,186 (42.8%) were adolescents. Of these, 1,781 (64.2%) rarely (or never) checked their breasts, and 909 (32.8%) were not confident to notice changes. In total, 1,675 (60.4%) were aware of the availability of BC screening programs. The overall mean ± standard deviation score for awareness of BC symptoms was 5.9 ± 2.9 of 11, and that of risk factors 7.5 ± 3.1 of 16. Feeling scared was the most reported barrier to seeking advice reported among women (n = 802; 50.2%), whereas feeling embarrassed was the most reported in adolescents (n = 745; 62.8%).

Conclusion: Awareness of BC symptoms, risk factors, and screening programs is suboptimal in Gaza. Educational interventions are necessary to increase public awareness of BC and to train local female breast surgeons to address barriers to early detection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Mohamedraed Elshami

No relationship to disclose

Hanan Abu Kmail

No relationship to disclose

Maymona Abu-Jazar

No relationship to disclose

Ibtisam Mahfouz

No relationship to disclose

Dina Ashour

No relationship to disclose

Ansam Aljamal

No relationship to disclose

Nada Mohareb

No relationship to disclose

Reem Elbalaawi

No relationship to disclose

Reem Dabbour

No relationship to disclose

Jomana Ghaith

No relationship to disclose

Tayseer Hasan

No relationship to disclose

Meral Abdelati

No relationship to disclose

Esraa Saleh

No relationship to disclose

Haifa Shawwa

No relationship to disclose

Reem Al-Ghazali

No relationship to disclose

Ola Obaid

No relationship to disclose

Loai Albarqouni

No relationship to disclose

Bettina Böttcher

No relationship to disclose

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