Association of knowledge and cultural perceptions of women with delay in breast cancer diagnosis: A single center experience

Aim: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide and is the highest case mortality rate in low-income countries. The purpose of the current study is to investigate whether awareness, knowledge and socio-cultural-economic factors are effective in the stages of patients diagnosed with breast cancer.Material and Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively at Ortadogu Private Hospital, breast outpatient clinic between January 2016 and January 2018 in Adana, Turkey. Two hundred - three females diagnosed as breast carcinoma were included. Females with recurrent, previous breast carcinoma and those who refused to participate were excluded from this study. Data was collected using demographic status, self-administered questionnaire consisted of knowledge about breast cancer and awareness of mammography.Results: A statistically significant difference was found between age and stage.There was no significant relationship between marital status, family history, income, body mass index, and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis. When we compare the stages with education, we see that the stages are higher as the education rate decreases. There was a significant relationship between location, occupation, routine screening, self-breast examination, awareness, knowledge, and stage.The independent variables that enable the diagnosis of patients at an early stage were routine screening, awareness, and knowledge.Conclusion: Our research showed that awareness, education, knowledge of breast cancer, self-breast examination, and routine screening were the most important factors in early detection of breast cancer.

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