Evaluation of breast cancer awareness and breast self-examination behaviour in adult women: a cross-sectional study

Year 2026, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 128 - 132, 20.02.2026

Can Akgün , Mehmet Alperen Avcı , Esma Nur Türkmen , İrem Koçoğlu , Tunahan Tarakçı , Buket Göktaş , Elife Kara , İlkem Duman

https://izlik.org/JA65YY67YN

Abstract

Aims: Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women globally. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) practices among women, and to explore the influence of professional background specifically employment in healthcare on awareness levels, as well as the associations between awareness and demographic variables.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between August and September 2025 at a tertiary healthcare institution. A total of 481 women aged 18 years and older were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that evaluated sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge about breast cancer, BSE practice behaviors, and screening awareness.
Results: While 66.7% of participants reported the ability to perform BSE, only 19.3% engaged in regular monthly practice. Knowledge concerning the optimal timing and conditions for BSE was suboptimal, reported by 38.3% and 43.2% of participants, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between age and awareness level (p<0.001). Contrary to expectations, awareness that early diagnosis may allow breast-conserving treatment was significantly higher among non healthcare professionals compared to their healthcare counterparts (p=0.033).
Conclusion: The findings highlight a disconnect between knowledge acquisition and behavior implementation, even among individuals with presumed health literacy such as healthcare professionals. This underscores the necessity for tailored educational strategies that transcend knowledge dissemination and facilitate actionable health practices. Future public health initiatives should emphasize not only cognitive awareness but also behavioral competency in breast cancer prevention and early detection.

Keywords

Breast cancer , awareness , breast self-examination , women’s health

Ethical Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, and ethical approval was obtained from the Samsun University Institutional review board (Approval No: 2025/20/22, dated October 15, 2025)

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