KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND UTILIZATION OF BREAST CANCER SCREENING METHODS AMONG FEMALE NURSES IN LAGOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, LAGOS, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer continues to be a major public health concern worldwide, with significant implications for women's health and well-being. Nurses, as frontline healthcare providers, play a pivotal role in promoting health and wellness among their patients. By understanding their knowledge, attitudes, and utilization of breast care screening can help uncover valuable insights that can ultimately enhance the quality of care they provide to their patients.

Methodology: The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive design among female nurses in Lagos University Teaching Hospital. A multi stage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 231 from the target population using Taro Yamane formula. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate the knowledge, attitude and utilization of breast cancer screening methods.

Results: All 214 respondents (100.0%) reported awareness of Breast Self-Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and Mammography. The primary sources of information were health professionals (96.3%), books/journals (64%), and seminars/workshops (56.5%). Majority demonstrated a positive attitude as 80.9% disagreed it is time consuming and strong majority (86.0%) recognized the need for early detection. BSE was widely practiced (96.7%) among the respondents, but the rates for CBE (57.9%) and mammography (7.0%) were lower.

Conclusion: Despite universal awareness of Breast Self-Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and Mammography among respondents, a significant disparity exists between knowledge and practice, particularly for CBE and mammography. While the majority demonstrated a positive attitude towards breast cancer screening, the relatively low utilization rates for CBE (57.9%) and mammography (7.0%) highlight the need for targeted interventions to bridge the knowledge-practice, workplace support and policy changes to promote nurses health and well-being, ultimately enhancing patient care.