TITLE:
Knowledge and Awareness of Breast Cancer among Young Women in the United Arab Emirates
AUTHORS:
Moustafa Younis, Dania Al-Rubaye, Hadeel Haddad, Ahmed Hammad, Manar Hijazi
KEYWORDS:
Breast Cancer, Awareness, Knowledge, Breast Self-Examination, Clinical Breast Examination, Young Adults, UAE
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.5 No.4,
October
31,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE). It carries poor prognosis when detected late. Patients usually
present at late stages due to lack of awareness of various aspects of breast
cancer. Aim: The objective of this study is to gain insight into the level of knowledge of breast cancer
among young adult females in UAE. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted
among females aged 25 to 45. A total of 492 females were selected using a
convenience sampling method. Data were collected through an interview-based questionnaire.
Frequency distributions and percentages were used to describe the knowledge
tested within the questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was
33.5 years. Almost 27% of our participants received a high school degree. The average
total knowledge of our population was 51%. The majority (89%) knew that breast
cancer is common and 45% knew that it affects ages above forty. The knowledge of signs and symptoms was 53%,
and more than half (57%) knew that the most common presenting sign is a breast
lump. The knowledge of risk factors was 43%. Almost 94% knew that cancer can be detected early, and
93% knew that early diagnosis improves outcome. The total knowledge of screening
methods was 67%. Conclusion: The study revealed that respondents’ knowledge of breast
cancer is less than expected. The increased burden of the disease should be
accompanied by powerful means of spreading awareness by implementing campaigns
that would improve knowledge deficits.