Factors Related to the Knowledge and Practice of Breast Self-Examination: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: Identification of the factors associated with knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE).

Materials and methods: The online survey method was used to collect data. Questions were based on an analysis of the literature and instruments used to study BSE awareness, knowledge, and practices. The study included 3536 participants, aged 18 to 71 years.

Results: Most participants (62.9%) believed they were not at risk of developing a breast cancer (BC). In the sample 459 (19%) reported they perform a BSE once a month after cessation of menstruation. The reason given for not performing the BSE by 521 (46.8%) was that they forgot, while 363 (32.6%) indicated they did not know how to perform a BSE. The mean ± standard deviation value of responses to the knowledge questions (response range 0-5) was 1.04±0.63. Almost all participants (98.6%) believed that BSE is important for the early detection of BC and that BSE awareness can be increased (96.9%).

Conclusion: Lack of comprehensive knowledge of BSE and low prevalence of regular BSE practice were observed. Education, profession, experience with BC, "not" performing BSE, and attitudes toward the importance of BSE in the early detection of BC were associated with knowledge of BSE.