ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER AND SCREENING AMONG WOMEN IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN IBADAN

Abstract

The incidence of breast cancer has progressively increased over the last couple of years and now constitutes important causes of morbidity and mortality in sub Saharan Africa. Women with a family history are at increased breast cancer risk and prevention programs based on family history could reduce breast cancer incidence among women with an affected relative with breast cancer. The objective of this study is to determine the association between family history of breast cancer and breast cancer screening practices and risk perception among women in Ibadan. A cross sectional study design was used for the study. Eight hundred and fifty women in selected communities were selected using a 4-stage cluster sampling. An interviewer-administered semi, structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle data. reproductive history, medical history of breast cancer and other cancer types among relatives, breast cancer knowledge and risk perception, and screening practices. The items on knowledge about breast cancer were combined to generate a knowledge score. Association between family history of breast cancer or any cancer and screening were tested using the Chi square test and multiple logistic regression at 5% level of significance. The mean age was 40.6 years (SD = 11.9) and 68.1 % were currently married. The highest proportion of the respondents attained secondary level of education (41.8%) followed by those with tertiary education (41%). The proportion of respondents that reported a family history of cancer was 8%. More than one third of the respondents (34.8%) reported to have had self-breast examination, while only 8.8% have had their breast examined by a doctor, also 3.1 % of the respondents has done mammography. Women with a family history were 2.33 times more likely than those without a history to have recent CBE, however the association was not statistically significant (95% CI = 0.96 - 5.68). There was also no significant association between family history and mammography on logistic regression. However, there was a significant association between family history of breast cancer and medium/high perceived breast cancer risk (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.23 - 6.32). There was a higher perceived risk of breast cancer among women with a family history of cancer. Cancer risk clinics need to be set up in oncology centres where relatives of breast cancer patients can be counselled about opportunities that exist for cancer screening and lifestyle modification.