Table 1.
Lay opinions about causes of breast cancer in Western Kenya
|
No. of coded statements (%) |
||||
| Perceived cause | Kapsokwony | Mosoriot | Turbo | Total Opinions |
| 597 (38%) | 297 (19%) | 672 (43%) | 1566 (100%) | |
| Hereditary | 91 (15.2) | 33 (11.1) | 69 (10.3) | 193 (12.3) |
| Food consumed | 60 (10.1) | 38 (12.8) | 89 (13.2) | 187 (11.9) |
| Witchcraft and curses | 63 (10.6) | 7 (2.4) | 38 (5.7) | 108 (6.9) |
| Family planning methods | 23 (3.9) | 8 (2.7) | 25 (3.7) | 56 (3.6) |
| Alcohol and tobacco consumption | 18 (3.0) | 2 (0.7) | 26 (3.9) | 46 (2.9) |
| Breastfeeding | 12 (2.0) | 8 (2.7) | 8 (1.2) | 28 (1.8) |
| Not breastfeeding | 9 (1.5) | 6 (2.0) | 9 (13) | 24 (1.5) |
| Exposure to toxic substances | 11 (1.8) | 4 (1.3) | 7 (1.0) | 22 (1.4) |
| HIV and other sexual diseases | 6 (1.0) | 0 | 3 (0.4) | 9 (0.6) |
| Environmental changes | 2 (0.3) | 2 (0.7) | 4 (0.6) | 8 (0.5) |
| Radiation and vibrations | 7 (1.2) | 0 | 1 (0.1) | 8 (0.5) |
| Type of clothing | 2 (0.3) | 0 | 4 (0.6) | 6 (0.4) |
| Low sexual encounters | 1 (0.2) | 0 | 1 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) |
| Early sexual encounter | 2 (0.3) | 0 | 0 | 2 (0.1) |
| High number of sexual encounters | 1 (0.2) | 0 | 1 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) |
| Others1 | 25 (4.2) | 5 (1.7) | 13 (1.9) | 43 (2.7) |
| No opinions expressed2 | 264 (44.2) | 184 (61.9) | 374 (55.7) | 822 (52.5) |
1
Others include: Becoming rich/wealthy, depression, dirt in the body, bacterial infection, injuries, traditional medicine not properly administered, not “having children”, man sucking on breasts during pregnancy, male circumcision, fate, insect bites, lack of physical activity, and having big breasts;
2
N in this row = number of respondents expressing no opinions.