AUTHOR=Hussen Abduljewad , Kumbi Musa , Bedewi Jemal , Lette Abate , Nuriye Shemsu 

TITLE=Breast self-examination practice and associated factors among women of reproductive age in southeast Ethiopia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1176022

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1176022

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Regular breast self-examination is the most cost effective method for early detection of breast cancer, especially in resource limited countries. But breast self-examination practice was low among women of reproductive age. 
Objective: This study aims to evaluate breast self-examination practice and associated factors among women of reproductive age in southeast Ethiopia.
Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods study design was conducted on 836 women of reproductive age. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used for the quantitative part of the study, supplemented by focus group discussions. A database was created using Epi-info version 3.5.3, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to examine the effect of explanatory variables. Variables with a P value  < 0.05 during multivariable logistic regressions were considered significantly associated with the dependent variable. Thematic data analysis was carried out for the qualitative study.
Result: Out of eight hundred thirty-six total participants, only 20.7% had ever heard about breast self-examination practice. Also, only 13.2% of the mothers had practiced breast self-examinations. Even though the majority of the participants during the focused group discussion had knowledge about breast cancer screening, most of them stated that breast self-examination was not practiced among them. Maternal age, mothers’ level of education, and previous history of breast examination by health professionals were significant predictors of breast self-examination practices.
Conclusion: This study reported a low prevalence of breast self-examination practice. Therefore, enhancing women’s education and encouraging breast examination by health professionals are essential to increasing the proportion of women performing breast self-examination.