Table 2.
Knowledge and perceptions of breast cancer among female members and male heads of households in Kaloleni sub-county, Kenya
| Females (n = 442) | Males (n = 237) | |
|---|---|---|
| Question | n(%)a | n(%)a |
| Have you heard of cancer? | ||
| Yes | 374(85.4) | 227(96.2) |
| No | 64(14.6) | 9(3.8) |
| Have you heard of breast cancer? | ||
| Yes | 357(81.5) | 217(92.3) |
| No | 81(18.5) | 18(7.7) |
| Have you known someone with BC? | ||
| Yes | 151(34.6) | 105(44.5) |
| No | 286(65.5) | 131(55.5) |
| How much do you know about BC? | ||
| Nothing at all | 193(44.8) | 64(27.2) |
| Only heard the term | 88(20.4) | 40(17.0) |
| A little | 134(31.1) | 122(51.9) |
| Very familiar | 14(3.3) | 9(3.8) |
| Is BC a serious illness? | ||
| Yes | 226(85.6) | 162(94.2) |
| No | 3(1.1) | 1(0.6) |
| Don’t know | 35(13.3) | 9(5.2) |
| What causes BC? | ||
| Don’t know | 407(93.6) | 216(92.3) |
| Otherb | 24(5.52) | 18(7.7) |
| Do men get BC? | ||
| Yes | 43(9.9) | 76(33.8) |
| No | 159(36.6) | 56(29.9) |
| Don’t’ know | 233(53.6) | 93(41.3) |
| Is BC curable? | ||
| Yes | 210(48.0) | 142(60.4) |
| No | 68(15.5) | 33(14.0) |
| Don’t know | 160(36.5) | 60(25.5) |
| Can you survive BC if it is detected early? | ||
| Yes | 255(58.2) | 171(72.8) |
| No | 47(10.7) | 26(11.1) |
| Don’t know | 136(31.1) | 38(16.2) |
| Can a traditional healer treat BC? | ||
| Yes | 17(3.9) | 7(3.0) |
| No | 334(77.1) | 188(80.3) |
| Don’t know | 82(18.9) | 39(16.7) |
BC = breast cancer
a total numbers may not add up to 442 (females) or 237 (males) because some respondents did not respond to specific questions
bIncluding viruses, close contact with a person with BC, heredity, lifestyle, evil eye and witchcraft