Psycho-Social Variables and Women's Susceptibility to Breast Cancer Screening in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract:

Breast cancer is a significant cause of morbidity among women. Even though early detection of breast cancer is found to be associated with breast cancer survival, many women still do not follow prescribed recommended screening procedures. Age, location, religious beliefs, knowledge are some of the risk factors affecting breast cancer. The risk of developing breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. The study, therefore, investigated some psychosocial variables and women’s susceptibility to breast cancer screening in Southwest Nigeria. Descriptive research design of the survey type was used for the study. The sample for this study consisted of 1,800 women between 18-50 years of age in Southwest Nigeria selected using multistage sampling techniques. A self-designed questionnaire titled “Psychosocial Factors and Breast Screening Questionnaire (PFBSQ)” was used to elicit information from respondents. The data generated were analyzed using inferential statistics. The results indicate that location, knowledge about breast cancer, and religious beliefs are factors that influenced women to subject themselves to breast cancer screening. It was on therefore recommended that counselors should design an effective program that would create awareness on women’s health issues as a way of detecting breast cancer in its early stage through breast cancer screening.

Keywords: Women, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Screening, Location, Knowledge, Religious Beliefs,