Background: Role of health personnel in educating the people regarding screening tests of breast cancer is very important to detect cancer at an early stage to prevent the morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) regarding the breast cancer and its screening methods among staff nurses.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary-care hospital in Puducherry. A total of 198 staff nurses were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, which consisted of questions ascertaining the KAP regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer and its screening tests [breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE), and mammography]. Data analysis was done using SPSS software. Frequency and proportions were calculated.
Result: Most of the staff nurses were female subjects (97%) and had less than 5 years of working experience (86.7%). Family history (40.9%), inadequate breast feeding (29.8%), and lifestyle factors (24.7%) were important risk factors of breast cancer as per participants. About 36.9% mentioned biopsy as a diagnostic test; 73.2% mentioned BSE as a screening test; 67.5% were practicing BSE, but only 5.5% were practicing it regularly. Only 11.6% mentioned CBE as a screening test, and 10.8% had undergone CBE only once. About 18.7% mentioned mammography as a screening test.
Conclusion: The knowledge and practice of staff nurses regarding screening tests was low. Staff nurses should undergo continuing medical education to revise and update their knowledge; in turn they can educate the community.
Key words: Knowledge, attitude, and practice, breast cancer, screening tests, nurses
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