Table 2.
Perceptions and knowledge of breast cancer
| Question | Medical students (N=320) | Non-Medical students (N=275) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cor | Incor | D/K | Cor | Incor | D/K | |
| Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in women in Angola | 37 (118) | 46 (148) | 15.6 (50) | 34.5 (95) | 42 (115) | 20 (56) |
| Breast cancer can affect men | 30 (97) | 39 (126) | 26 (83) | 33 (91) | 43 (119) | 20 (55) |
| Women younger than 30 years do not get breast cancer | 65 (207) | 12 (38) | 18 (59) | 71 (195) | 9 (24) | 18 (48) |
| Breast cancer is more common in women with big breasts | 70 (224) | 5 (17) | 21 (68) | 67(185) | 6 (17) | 22 (61) |
| Lumps in the breast that are cancer are usually painful | 14 (46) | 55 (176) | 28 (88) | 20(55) | 50 (137) | 25 (69) |
| Being hit on the breast can cause cancer | 52 (165) | 12 (38) | 33 (105) | 50 (138) | 14 (39) | 32 (87) |
| A woman who lets a man put “love bites” on her breast is more likely to get breast cancer | 75 (241) | 5 (16) | 18 (57) | 66 (181) | 10 (28 ) | 25 (59) |
| One of the best ways to find breast cancer early is by checking the breasts every month (breast self-examination) | 84 (270) | 6 (19) | 8 (27) | 78 (215) | 8 (23) | 10 (28) |
| The best time to check for lumps in the breast is just after the period ends | 47 (149) | 8 (27) | 43 (138) | 47 (130) | 11 (31) | 38 (105) |
| A change in the color or shape of a woman's nipple could be a sign of breast cancer | 38 (120) | 20 (64) | 41 (130) | 36 (98) | 18 (49) | 45 (117) |
| A woman's chance of surviving breast cancer is very low, even if it is found early | 66 (210) | 14 (46) | 19 (60) | 66 (180) | 14 (39) | 18 (48) |
| Black African women are more likely to develop breast cancer than white women | 78(236) | 4 (11) | 22 (71) | 55 (151) | 8 (22) | 35 (96) |
Note Cor=Correct, Incr= Incorrect, D/K= Don't Know;
*Values might not add up to 100% due to missing values and rounding off to 1 decimal place.