Abstract
Background
In terms of incidence, breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most frequent disease among women; in 2022, there were 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 fatalities reported.
Objective
The main objective of this study was to evaluate beliefs and perceptions of self-breast examination (SBE) for breast cancer prevention among young women in Jharkhand.
Materials and Methods
The current study used triangulation research approach in which belief for SBE was assessed by qualitative approach and perception for SBE was assessed by using quantitative research approach. Sample size calculation was done by using population prevalence of 4% and a total of 59 young females were included for final data collection. The current study included 59 young, healthy female participants from three chosen rural Jharkhand districts, that is, Deoghar, Dhumka, and Jamtara.
Results
The majority of participants, average age of 28.9 years, were married (60%), had a graduate degree (51%), and did not use contraception (56%). The majority of female participants had a menstrual cycle lasting 5 days and had no family history of breast lumps. Female participants’ believed that there was no correlation between breast size and breast cancer (70%), high-fat foods and little fruit and vegetable intake (59%). Women’s perceptions of SBE were that most of them (60%) had no idea what SBEs were, how to execute them (67%), when to perform them (67%), or which three positions to perform them (71%).
Conclusion
Tribal women posed limited awareness and poor knowledge of SBE for breast cancer prevention.
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