Deficient knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and lack of regular breast self-exams among Malaysian female university students

4^th International Conference on Nursing & Healthcare

October 05-07, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Maryam Ahmadian and Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Health promotion efforts surrounding breast cancer intend to both prevent the condition and manage the disease through a combination of breast self-exams and physician-directed procedures. Despite continuous debate about the efficacy of breast self-exams; it still could be a life-saving technique through inspiring and empowering women to take better control over their breast. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2013 in the nine public and private universities in the Klang Valley and Selangor, Malaysia. 850 female university students were respondents for the self-administered survey technique. The uptake of breast self-examination (BSE) was less than 50% among selected students. Results also presented that 32.5% of the respondents did not routinely perform breast self-exams and most of the students had insufficient knowledge and awareness on several breast cancer risk factors. This study may facilitate healthcare providers to tailor breast self-exam/self-care recommendations based on the uptake of breast self-exams. Actions and attempts should be done to expand the knowledge of breast cancer through the development of culturally, ethnically and traditionally sensitive educational training on (BSE) and breast cancer prevention among women in the Southeast Asia region.

Biography :

Email: marydian50@gmail.com