Authors : A.G. Salaudeen , T.M. Akandem and O.I. Musa
Abstract: Detection of breast cancer at the earliest possible time followed by appropriate treatment is the logical goal in the pursuit of cure of carcinoma of the breast. This is a descriptive epidemiological study on practice of Breast Self Examination (BSE) among young adult females in tertiary institutions in Ilorin, Nigeria. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted to select the respondents for the survey. Self administered questionnaire was used as the research instrument. Seven hundred respondents returned the completed questionnaires and were analyzed. Majority (81.9%) of the respondents had heard of breast self examination but only 53.5% had ever practiced it. About half of those that ever practiced breast self examination were currently practicing self examination of the breast. Friends (34.3%), relation (16.0%) and history of breast cancer in the family (8.4%) motivated respondents who currently practice breast self examination to continue. Although, 74.3% of the respondents claimed to know how breast self examination is done, only 9.2% had good knowledge of performance of breast self examination. The problems encountered by the respondents during breast self examination were difficulty in palpation, appropriate position to examine the breast and inability to differentiate between normal breast tissues and breast lump. Two-thirds of those that ever practiced breast self examination had encouraged other people to do the same. Less than 20% of those who currently examine their breast do it every month. Effective health education through various media like parental education, seminar, print and electronic media and male involvement in encouraging their friends and spouse in breast self examination will promote the culture of sustaining regular breast self examination. Integrating breast self examination messages into reproductive health by collaboration between the health care providers, the government and the mass media (which presently enjoy high level of information dissemination) will increase the practice of breast self examination.
A.G. Salaudeen , T.M. Akandem and O.I. Musa , 2009. Practice of Breast Self Examination among Young Adults in Tertiary Institutions in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 3: 31-35.