Tab. II.
Knowledge of breast cancer, its early symptoms, and its risk factors among female senior secondary school students in State Government-owned schools of Otuocha Educational Zone, Anambra State, Nigeria.
| S/N | Description | Agree (%) |
Unsure (%) |
Disagree (%) |
Total scores** (average: 1 to 3) |
Correct scores* (% of average) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. General knowledge on breast cancers (Q10, Part 3 of Questionnaire) | ||||||
| 1 | Breast cancer is a common cause of cancers deaths among Nigerian women (n = 318) | 242 (76.1)* | 53 (16.4) | 24 (7.5) | 854 (2.69) | 726 (85.0) |
| 2 | Any woman aged ≥20 can develop breast cancer (n = 317) | 179 (56.5)* | 88 (27.8) | 50 (15.8) | 763 (2.41) | 537 (70.4) |
| 3 | Breast cancer is transmissible (n = 314) | 56 (17.8) | 100 (31.8) | 158 (50.3)* | 730 (2.32) | 474 (64.9) |
| 4 | BSE can help detect and prevent breast cancers (n = 316) | 209 (66.1)* | 64 (20.3) | 43 (13.6) | 798 (2.53) | 627 (78.6) |
| Totals | 3,145 (2.49) | 2,364 (75.2) | ||||
| B. Knowledge of Risk Factors For Breast Cancers (Q8, Part 3 of Questionnaire) | ||||||
| 5 | Early onset of menstruation; < 11 years (n = 316) | 49 (15.5)* | 140 (44.3) | 127 (40.2) | 554 (1.75) | 147 (26.5) |
| 6 | Late onset of menstruation; > 16 years (n = 314) | 37 (11.8) | 164 (52.2) | 113 (36.0)* | 704 (2.24) | 339 (48.2) |
| 7 | Having no babies at all (n = 317) | 25 (7.9)* | 130 (41.0) | 162 (51.1) | 497 (1.57) | 75 (15.1) |
| 8 | Having many babies; > 4 (n = 309) | 21 (6.8) | 115 (37.2) | 173 (56.0)* | 770 (2.49) | 519 (67.4) |
| 9 | Eating a high fatty diet (n = 314) | 55 (17.5) | 161 (51.3) | 98 (31.2)* | 671 (2.14) | 294 (43.8) |
| 10 | Using the birth control pill (n = 305) | 57 (18.7) | 179 (58.7) | 69 (22.6)* | 622 (2.04) | 207 (33.3) |
| 11 | Having a family history of breast cancer (n = 313) | 85 (27.2)* | 109 (34.8) | 119 (38.0) | 592 (1.89) | 255 (43.1) |
| 12 | Early onset of sexual intercourse (n = 312) | 69 (22.1) | 144 (46.2) | 99 (31.7)* | 654 (2.10) | 297 (45.4) |
| 13 | Having a urinary tract infection (n = 313) | 79 (25.2) | 158 (50.5) | 76 (24.3)* | 623 (1.99) | 228 (36.6) |
| Totals | 5,687 (2.02) | 2,361 (41.5) | ||||
| C. Knowledge of early symptoms of breast cancer (Q1, Part 3 of Questionnaire) | ||||||
| 14 | Pain in the breasts (n = 319) | 164 (51.4) | 91 (28.5) | 64 (20.1)* | 538 (1.69) | 192 (35.7) |
| 15 | Chest pain (n = 313) | 59 (18.8) | 152 (48.6) | 102 (32.6)* | 669 (2.14) | 306 (45.7) |
| 16 | Headache (n = 309) | 66 (21.4) | 103 (33.3) | 140 (45.3)* | 692 (2.24) | 420 (60.7) |
| 17 | Breast lump (n = 314) | 141 (44.9)* | 118 (37.6) | 55 (17.5) | 714 (2.27) | 423 (59.2) |
| 18 | Lump in armpit (n = 309) | 67 (21.7)* | 145 (46.9) | 97 (31.4) | 588 (1.90) | 201 (34.2) |
| 19 | Unilateral nipple discharge (n = 314) | 103 (32.8)* | 139 (44.3) | 72 (22.9) | 659 (2.10) | 309 (46.9) |
| 20 | Nipple discharge in a pregnant person (n = 309) | 62 (20.1) | 148 (47.9) | 99 (32.0)* | 655 (2.12) | 297 (45.3) |
| 21 | Nipple discharge when squeezed (n = 313) | 73 (23.3) | 165 (52.7) | 75 (24.0)* | 628 (2.01) | 225 (35.8) |
| Totals | 5,143 (2.05) | 2,373 (46.1) | ||||
| Grand totals for breast cancer knowledge |
13,975 (2.19) 7,098 (50.8) |
|||||
-**Total Scores are derived by the sum of the following: Correct Responses (marked with *; multiply by 3) + Unsure (multiply by 2) + Incorrect (multiply by 1)
-Result Interpretation: ≥ 70% = Excellent knowledge; ≥ 50 to < 70% = Moderate knowledge; < 50% = Poor knowledge
-BSE = Breast Self-examination