Knowledge & Practice of Breast Self Examination among Female Community Health Volunteers

Abstract

This study focuses on ‘’KNOWLEDGE AND PRATICE OF BREAST SELFEXAMINATION AMONG FEMALE COMMUNITY HEALTH VOLUNTEERSWORKING IN ITAHARI SUB METROPOLITIAN CITY’’. The main aim of thisstudy was to find out the existing knowledge and practice of FCHV on BSE. Thisstudy was quantitative and descriptive in nature.This study was based on both primary and secondary sources of data. Descriptiveresearch design was adopted for study. This study was conducted among 135 FCHV.The sampling procedure was purposive .Questionnaire and interview was necessary tocollect information.As breast cancer is the most common cancer of women in the United States andaffluent European countries .Low and middle resources countries have historicallyreported lower rates of breast cancer than high resource countries .However, over thepast twenty to thirty years, data support a trend of increasing incidence and mortalityfrom breast cancer in lower resource countries of the over million new cases of breastcancer that will be diagnosed worldwide in 2009 low and middle resource countrieswill be burdened with 45% of breast cancer cases and 55% of breast cancer relateddeath.As this revive highlights the knowledge and practice of BSE among FemaleCommunity Health Volunteers of Itahari Sub Metropolitan City. It is found that 100%of respondents were married and literate. All FCHV income was below Rs.10,000.Similarly 100% of respondents had menarche at the age of 10-15 years and allrespondents has children also 100% had no history of breast cancer. Likewise,26.64% uses contraceptivesdevices as for family planning purposes but 73.3%donotuse contraceptive devices.As reference to knowledge regarding Breast Self-examination but 5.2% understand amethod to detect abnormalities in the breast at early stage also 2.2% understand as amethod to cure breast cancer,3.7% of FCHV respond as early detection of breastcancer,59.3% gave reason as cure breast cancer. It is found that, 3.7% of FCHVrespond as early detection of breast cancer, 59.3% gave reason as cure of breastcancer,3.7% said as confirmatory diagnosis of breast cancer ,14.8% reasoned aspalliative care of breast cancer and 18.5% were unknown about understanding onBSE.Then after 3.7% respondent said to check breast monthly beside this 96.3% were unknown about it. Then100% of respondents were unknown about age ofstarting of BSE .Incase of anychanges/finding after BSE 3.7%of respondents waitfor 6months,9.6% ofrespondents consult the doctor,3.7% do not do anything unlessit is painful. All [100%] of respondents were unknown about age group prone tobreast cancer.Similarly.5.2% of respondents had CBE[Clinical Breast examination]but 94.8% had not examine their breast by health professional. Likewise, 7.4%respondents to examinebreast through inspection only,2.2%palpation only,5.2%inspection and palpation and 85.2% were unknown about it. It is found that 2.2%respondents as upper outer quadrant and 95.6% were unknown about the common siteof breast cancer.As considered to the BSE practice, among135 only 4.4% practice BSE.Reference toinspecting whileperforming BSE, 3.7% inspect the breast standing behind the mirrorwith her shoulder behind the mirror with her shoulder straight and her arms on hips.Likewise, 3.7% look at the breast and note any differences inchange in size, shape orsymmetry, dimpling, inverted nipple, redness, swelling and any discharge fromnipples 3.7% raise her arms and looks for the same symmetry but 96.3% do not raisetheir arms. Asconsidered to palpation 3.7% use left hand for right breast and righthand for left breast. Andalso, 2.2% palpate her breast using pads of middle finger but97.8% do not use three middle finger.