Knowledge, Screening, and Practices Surrounding Iraqi Female Breast Cancer: An Observational Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer worldwide and the second most common cause of death in women. This study aimed to increase awareness about BC and the practice of BC screening tests among Iraqi women.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted at the Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Baghdad, Iraq. The study population comprised of 807 Iraqi women. A questionnaire was constructed based on the aims of the study. A likelihood ratio for goodness of fit for a multinomial logistic regression model was used.
Results: The mean age of participants was 25.8±16.5 years. Most participants (590; 73.1%) were educated to undergraduate level and were from Baghdad city. Multinomial logistic regression test of knowledge of breast cancer having a significant association among Iraqi females BC regarding relation between age and information about BC with infectious diseases, risk of the use of contraceptive, breastfeeding, and breast self-examination (BSE) times; and regarding educational level among male BC, hereditary BC, and age of patients; regarding residence with hereditary BC, alcohol ingestion, and part of the hand use in BSE; regarding socioeconomic among weight of patients, and timing of BSE; regarding marital status related to male BC.
Conclusions: Most participants had a low level of knowledge about BC. A higher level of education, higher income, and increased age were all predictive factors for better knowledge of BC.