Awareness, knowledge and attitude towards breast cancer, breast screening and early detection techniques among women in Pakistan

Objective: To document the knowledge and attitudes of women towards breast cancer, breast screening and early detection techniques. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2015 to May 2016 in Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised women aged above 18 years. The survey used breast cancer inventory as a research instrument after piloting and validation. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. Results: Of the 1,304 respondents, 948(72.7%) were single, 1,082(83%) belonged to the 18-30 age group, 800(61.3%) had Urdu-speaking ethnicity and 794(60.9%) were educated. The prevalence of breast cancer in family was 226(17.33%). Besides, 446(34.2%) had low knowledge regarding the subject, 646(49.5%) appeared welcoming to the idea of breast screening, 1,008(77.3%) indicated their discomfort in discussing the topic, whereas 1,080(82.8%) preferred a female physician. Conclusion: There was a dearth of knowledge regarding breast cancer among the participants.