Introduction: Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer-related death in women. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health personnel at Ratoma Communal Medical Center regarding breast cancer screening. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study lasting 3 months from July 1 to September 30, 2024, carried out in a level II health structure of the health pyramid in Conakry, involving health personnel working in this hospital, present during the data collection period and having agreed to participate in the study. Results: The response rate of respondents was 86.7%. General practitioners were the most represented (41.2%) followed by midwives (30.6%) and nurses at 8.2%. All respondents stated that they had heard of breast cancer (100%), of which 90.6% were aware of the existence of risk factors and 98.8 % were aware of the existence of screening methods. All participants had a favorable attitude to breast cancer screening. The level of knowledge of the frequency of mammography (36.5%) and breast self-examination (43.5 %) was low. The practice of personal screening was 80.4 % and only 24.4 % of female staff had performed a screening mammogram. Conclusion: Health personnel had a good level of knowledge and acceptable attitude towards breast cancer screening. The rate of mammography performance and knowledge of the frequency of breast self-examination and mammography remain low. It is therefore necessary to promote awareness and continuous training of health providers on the different methods of breast cancer screening.
Published in | International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research (Volume 10, Issue 2) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16 |
Page(s) | 92-98 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices, Health Personnel, Breast Cancer Screening
Knowledge | Number of employees (n=85) | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Awareness of the existence of breast cancer | 85 | 100 |
Sources of information about the existence of breast cancer | ||
Media | 42 | 49.4 |
Structured training | 26 | 30.6 |
Initial training | 51 | 60.0 |
Friends | 28 | 32.9 |
Family | 15 | 17.6 |
Knowledge of the existence of risk factors for breast cancer | ||
Yes | 77 | 90.6 |
No | 8 | 9.4 |
Risk factors for breast cancer | ||
Personal or family history of breast cancer | 59 | 69.4 |
High socio - economic level | 25 | 29.4 |
Hyperestrogenism | 38 | 44.7 |
Early menarche | 28 | 32.9 |
Late menopause | 31 | 36.5 |
Elderly primiparity | 40 | 47.1 |
Lack of breastfeeding | 58 | 68.2 |
Nulliparity | 31 | 36.5 |
Obesity | 27 | 31.8 |
Genetic predisposition | 36 | 42.4 |
Smoking | 56 | 65.9 |
None | 4 | 4.7 |
Breast cancer screening methods | ||
Existence of screening methods | ||
Yes | 84 | 98.8 |
No | 1 | 0.2 |
Different means of screening | ||
Breast self-examination | 67 | 78.8 |
Ultrasound | 24 | 28.2 |
Mammography | 75 | 88.2 |
Most effective means of screening | ||
Ultrasound | 4 | 4.7 |
Breast self-examination | 28 | 32.9 |
Mammography | 68 | 80.0 |
Screening allows early diagnosis of breast cancer | ||
Yes | 74 | 87.1 |
No | 11 | 12.9 |
Early detection reduces breast cancer death rate | ||
Yes | 80 | 94.1 |
No | 5 | 5.9 |
Description of the breast self-examination technique | ||
Standing shirtless in front of the mirror | 48 | 59.3 |
Look for breast asymmetry | 43 | 53.1 |
Hand flat on the breast | 32 | 40.5 |
Palpate in a circular motion | 60 | 75.0 |
Palpate with the pads of the fingers | 49 | 60.5 |
Pa l per the breasts what has drant by quadrant | 63 | 77.8 |
Feeling breasts while lying down | 31 | 38.3 |
Squeeze each nipple | 38 | 46.9 |
Feel the armpits | 49 | 60.5 |
Attitudes toward breast cancer screening | Number of employees (n=85) | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Favorable attitude towards breast cancer screening | 85 | 100 |
Participation as a health worker in a breast cancer screening campaign | ||
Yes | 15 | 17.6 |
No | 70 | 82.4 |
Have you advised breast cancer screening? | ||
Yes | 72 | 84.7 |
No | 13 | 15.3 |
Recommended screening methods | ||
Breast self-examination | 56 | 65.9 |
Mammography | 40 | 47.1 |
Ultrasound | 10 | 11.9 |
Recommended screening method frequencies | ||
Breast self-examination | ||
At any time of life | 33 | 38.8 |
I don't know | 15 | 17.6 |
Every month at the end of your period | 37 | 43.5 |
Mammography | ||
At any time | 11 | 12.9 |
I don't know | 36 | 42.4 |
Every 2 years | 31 | 36.5 |
Every 3 years | 7 | 8.2 |
Breast cancer screening practices | Number of employees (n=51) | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Personal screening practices | ||
Yes | 41 | 80.4 |
No | 10 | 19.6 |
Screening methods used | ||
Breast self-examination | ||
Yes | 39 | 95.1 |
No | 2 | 4.9 |
Ultrasound | ||
Yes | 1 | 2.4 |
No | 40 | 97.6 |
Mammography | ||
Yes | 10 | 24.4 |
No | 31 | 75.6 |
Frequency of personal practice of breast self-examination (n=39) | ||
At any time | 26 | 66.7 |
Every month at the end of your period | 13 | 33.3 |
Frequency of personal practice of mammography (n=10) | ||
Irregular | 7 | 70.0 |
Every 2 years | 2 | 20.0 |
Every 3 years | 1 | 10.0 |
CMC | Communal Medical Center |
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APA Style
II, S. A., Cellou, D. M., Sidy, D. B., Tangaly, D. I., Abdourahmane, D., et al. (2025). Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Personnel Regarding Breast Cancer Screening: Case of a Level II Hospital in Conakry. International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research, 10(2), 92-98. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16
ACS Style
II, S. A.; Cellou, D. M.; Sidy, D. B.; Tangaly, D. I.; Abdourahmane, D., et al. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Personnel Regarding Breast Cancer Screening: Case of a Level II Hospital in Conakry. Int. J. Clin. Oncol. Cancer Res. 2025, 10(2), 92-98. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16
@article{10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16, author = {Sow Alhassane II and Diallo Mamadou Cellou and Diallo Boubacar Sidy and Diallo Ibrahima Tangaly and Dieng Abdourahmane and Diallo Aissatou Kindy and Diallo Abdourahamane and Sy Telly}, title = {Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Personnel Regarding Breast Cancer Screening: Case of a Level II Hospital in Conakry }, journal = {International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, pages = {92-98}, doi = {10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijcocr.20251002.16}, abstract = {Introduction: Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer-related death in women. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health personnel at Ratoma Communal Medical Center regarding breast cancer screening. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study lasting 3 months from July 1 to September 30, 2024, carried out in a level II health structure of the health pyramid in Conakry, involving health personnel working in this hospital, present during the data collection period and having agreed to participate in the study. Results: The response rate of respondents was 86.7%. General practitioners were the most represented (41.2%) followed by midwives (30.6%) and nurses at 8.2%. All respondents stated that they had heard of breast cancer (100%), of which 90.6% were aware of the existence of risk factors and 98.8 % were aware of the existence of screening methods. All participants had a favorable attitude to breast cancer screening. The level of knowledge of the frequency of mammography (36.5%) and breast self-examination (43.5 %) was low. The practice of personal screening was 80.4 % and only 24.4 % of female staff had performed a screening mammogram. Conclusion: Health personnel had a good level of knowledge and acceptable attitude towards breast cancer screening. The rate of mammography performance and knowledge of the frequency of breast self-examination and mammography remain low. It is therefore necessary to promote awareness and continuous training of health providers on the different methods of breast cancer screening. }, year = {2025} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Personnel Regarding Breast Cancer Screening: Case of a Level II Hospital in Conakry AU - Sow Alhassane II AU - Diallo Mamadou Cellou AU - Diallo Boubacar Sidy AU - Diallo Ibrahima Tangaly AU - Dieng Abdourahmane AU - Diallo Aissatou Kindy AU - Diallo Abdourahamane AU - Sy Telly Y1 - 2025/06/04 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16 DO - 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16 T2 - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research JF - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research JO - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research SP - 92 EP - 98 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2578-9511 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20251002.16 AB - Introduction: Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer-related death in women. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health personnel at Ratoma Communal Medical Center regarding breast cancer screening. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study lasting 3 months from July 1 to September 30, 2024, carried out in a level II health structure of the health pyramid in Conakry, involving health personnel working in this hospital, present during the data collection period and having agreed to participate in the study. Results: The response rate of respondents was 86.7%. General practitioners were the most represented (41.2%) followed by midwives (30.6%) and nurses at 8.2%. All respondents stated that they had heard of breast cancer (100%), of which 90.6% were aware of the existence of risk factors and 98.8 % were aware of the existence of screening methods. All participants had a favorable attitude to breast cancer screening. The level of knowledge of the frequency of mammography (36.5%) and breast self-examination (43.5 %) was low. The practice of personal screening was 80.4 % and only 24.4 % of female staff had performed a screening mammogram. Conclusion: Health personnel had a good level of knowledge and acceptable attitude towards breast cancer screening. The rate of mammography performance and knowledge of the frequency of breast self-examination and mammography remain low. It is therefore necessary to promote awareness and continuous training of health providers on the different methods of breast cancer screening. VL - 10 IS - 2 ER -