Background: Early detection of breast cancer plays an important role in decreasing its morbidity and mortality. This study therefore examines the factors influencing breast self-examination (BSE) awareness and practices among women in Ogun state, Western Nigeria.
Materials and methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between 22 April and 13 May 2013 using a semi- structured questionnaire. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select one participant per household into the study.
Results: A total of 495 women were interviewed in this study, the mean age of the respondents was 36.45 ± 5.12 years. About half (58.2%) of respondents have heard of BSE and 24.4% have ever perform BSE. Only 5.3% of our respondents perform BSE regularly (monthly) as recommended. Barrier to non-performance of BSE were perception of not being at risk (47.6%), lack of knowledge of how to perform BSE (47.6%). Only 18.5% of respondents have ever had their breast examined by physicians for lump and all of them had continued to perform BSE afterwards. The only predictor of awareness and practice of breast self-examination was tertiary level of education [odds ratio (OR) = 1.43 cumulative incidence (CI) = 1.12-2.18].
Conclusion: The study shows level of education, smoking habits and history of breast exam by health professional and were the factors found associated with BSE practice. Training on BSE should be given to women especially during antenatal care in order to increase the practice of BSE thus averting the severe morbidity and mortality of breast cancer in developing countries.
Keywords: Breast; Nigeria; reproductive age; rural; self-examination.