Table 2.
Knowledge of signs and symptoms, risk factors, and screening guidelines of breast cancer among pharmacists.
| Statement | Answer | Response n (%) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correct | Incorrect | I do not know | ||
| Signs and symptoms | ||||
| A painful mass | Incorrect | 271 (49.5) | 256 (46.7) | 21 (3.8) |
| Swelling of all or part of a breast | Correct | 447 (81.6) | 61 (11.1) | 40 (7.3) |
| Skin irritation or dimpling | Correct | 401 (73.3) | 60 (11.0) | 86 (15.7) |
| Breast or nipple pain | Correct | 409 (74.8) | 85 (15.5) | 53 (9.7) |
| Nipple retraction | Correct | 380 (69.2) | 34 (6.2) | 135 (24.6) |
| Nipple discharge | Correct | 421 (76.7) | 40 (7.3) | 88 (16.0) |
| Risk factors | ||||
| Increasing age of a woman | Correct | 426 (78.2) | 82 (15.0) | 37 (6.8) |
| Presence of family history of breast cancer | Correct | 535 (97.6) | 11 (2.0) | 2 (0.4) |
| Genetic factors | Correct | 508 (93.2) | 22 (4.0) | 15 (2.8) |
| Early menstruation | Correct | 183 (33.6) | 146 (26.8) | 215 (39.5) |
| Early menopause | Incorrect | 290 (53.1) | 95 (17.4) | 161 (29.5) |
| Young age at birth of first child | Incorrect | 97 (17.9) | 244 (45.0) | 201 (37.1) |
| Giving birth to many children | Incorrect | 81 (15.0) | 301 (55.6) | 159 (29.4) |
| Breastfeeding | Incorrect | 60 (11.0) | 424 (78.1) | 59 (10.9) |
| Obesity | Correct | 267 (49.0) | 154 (28.3) | 124 (22.8) |
| Alcohol intake | Correct | 399 (72.9) | 61 (11.2) | 87 (15.9) |
| Lack of physical activity | Correct | 294 (53.8) | 112 (20.5) | 140 (25.6) |
| Use of hormone replacement therapy | Correct | 476 (87.0) | 27 (4.9) | 44 (8.0) |
| Screening guidelines | ||||
| Screening with mammography reduces mortality from breast cancer | Correct | 491 (89.3) | 28 (5.1) | 31 (5.6) |
| Women should undergo regular screening with mammography starting at age 55 years | Incorrect | 222 (40.4) | 283 (51.5) | 45 (8.2) |
| Women ages 45 to 54 years should be screened annually with mammography | Correct | 457 (83.1) | 41 (7.5) | 52 (9.5) |
| Women aged 55 years or older should transition to screening every other year with mammography | Correct | 312 (56.7) | 127 (23.1) | 111 (20.2) |