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. 2023 Jul 11;15(7):e41739.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.41739. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Barriers to Using Breast Cancer Screening Methods Among Adult Females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Marwan Bakarman  1 , Duha Kalthoum  2 , Iman Wahby Salem  3 , Razan O Alshuaibi  4 , Thikra A Almohammadi  5 , Rana A Beser  6 , Raghad H Almuwallad  5 , Leena A Alotaibi  7
Affiliations

Barriers to Using Breast Cancer Screening Methods Among Adult Females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Marwan Bakarman et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and it considerably increases morbidity and mortality globally. Screening methods, such as self-examination, clinical examination, and mammography, can help in early detection and treatment, which will help in improving survival rates and reducing mortality. While regular screening of the breast is essential to detect the earliest stages of breast cancer, not all women adhere to regular breast screening. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between December 2021 to July 2022. using an online self-administered questionnaire. The total number of responses (n = 328), Data was analyzed using SPSS 25. Results In this study, out of the 328 respondents, 18.9% reported undergoing regular mammography, 14.3% reported having regular clinical breast examinations, and 38.1% reported practicing regular breast self-examinations.. In addition, the participants' most known warning signs of BC were a lump under their armpit (69.1%). the most perceived barrier to breast self-examination (BSE) was Doing a breast examination will make her worry about what is wrong with her breast (47%). whereas the most barrier to clinical breast examination (CBE) was embarrassment (45.9%). On the other hand, the main barriers that prevented women from having mammograms were embarrassment (36%) and pain (32.6%). Conclusion The most perceived barrier to BSE was women's concern, while embarrassment and painful procedures were significant barriers to performing mammography and CBE. Therefore, adult females in Jeddah need educational programs to improve their knowledge and increase public awareness of breast cancer screening for early detection.

Keywords: breast cancer; breast cancer screening; breast cancer screening barriers; bse; screening mammogram.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Percentage distribution of the participants according to their knowledge about warning signs of breast cancer
Figure 2
Figure 2. Percentage distribution of the participants according to their knowledge about the risk factors of breast cancer
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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