ABSTRACT

Aim:

The study was conducted descriptively as the cross sectional type in order to determine breast cancer knowledge and implementation of breast selfexamination (BSE) of women aged 15-49 and live in Kütahya Region.

Method:

Target populati on of the study was women between the age s of 15-49 who live in Ye nidoğan neighborhood of Kutahya City Center. 120 women who visited Yenidoğan Neighborhood Family Health Ce nter between 08.04.2011-20.05.2011 for follow-up and treatment and accepted to participate in the study. The signed consent form and filled previously prepared questionary via face-to-face interview method. Digit, percentage and chi-squared test from SPSS package from were used for statistical analyses.

Results:

Most of the women (>80 %) told that breast cancer is treatable and preventable disease, and early diagnosis may prevent death from cancer. Regarding early diagnosis of breast cancer, 42.5 % of women knew that BSE may be used for early detection, but only 11.7% of them aceppted mammography as an early diagnostic and screening tool. When their knowledge about BSE was examined, it was determined that 61.7% of them knew, 38.33% did not know, 56.7% of them was performing BSE regularly, and 43.33% had never performed BSE before. It was determined that, among the women who stated that they knew how to perform BSE (61.7%), only 53.3% of them were performing BSE (X2: 69.906; P: 0.000).

Conclusion:

The rate of women performing regular BSE in Kütahya Region was found low in this study. For this reason, breast cancer knowledge, awareness and rate of BSE should be increased by seminars and courses.