Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Practices Among Women. A Case Study at Tamale Metropolis, Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E4/2025-03Keywords:
Breast cancer, Awareness, Screening PracticesAbstract
Background: This study aimed to assess breast cancer awareness, perception, and screening practices among women in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana. Despite global efforts to promote early detection, many women in low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana, continue to experience delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes due to limited awareness and access to screening services.
Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design. A total of 396 adult women aged 18 years and above were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS with chi-square tests to determine associations. The results indicated that the respondents had an average level of awareness (51%), average perception and attitude (44.71%), and average screening practice (44.71%). Despite facing certain challenges, there was a moderate level of breast cancer awareness and screening practices among women in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.
Findings: The study found that ethnicity had a statistically significant association with breast cancer awareness and screening practices among women in Tamale Metropolis (χ² = 36.833, p = 0.000). Conversely, education level exhibited a non-significant association with awareness (χ² = 2.654, p = 0.690), while age demonstrated a strong significant association with mammogram utilization (χ² = 117.435, p = 0.000). Religion also had a significant influence on clinical breast examination and mammogram practices (χ² = 12.228, p = 0.001; χ² = 12.615, p = 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that socio-demographic characteristics, particularly age, ethnicity, and religion, significantly influence breast cancer awareness and screening behaviors. Based on these findings, it is recommended to strengthen community-based education initiatives and increase access to age- and culture-sensitive breast screening programs. Improving early detection strategies will be vital in reducing breast cancer morbidity and mortality in the region.
References
1) Afaya, A., Anaba, E. A., Bam, V., Afaya, R. A., Yahaya, A., Seidu, A., & Ahinkorah, B. O. (2024). Socio-cultural beliefs and perceptions influencing diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer among women in Ghana: a systematic review. BMC Women S Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03106-y
2) Afaya, A., Ramazanu, S., Bolarinwa, O. A., Yakong, V. N., Afaya, R. A., Aboagye, R. G., Daniels-Donkor, S. S., Yahaya, A., Shin, J., Dzomeku, V. M., Ayanore, M. A., & Alhassan, R. K. (2022). Health system barriers influencing timely breast cancer diagnosis and treatment among women in low and middle-income Asian countries: evidence from a mixed-methods systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08927-x
3) Bosompem, K., Yorke, J., Buckman, T. A., Brenu, S. G., Nyantakyi, M., Aitpillah, F. S., Kyei, I., Adinku, M. O., Yorke, D. A., Obirikorang, C., & Acheampong, E. (2024). Comparative analysis of breast cancer characteristics in young premenopausal and postmenopausal women in Ghana. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52129-w
4) Der, E., & Abantanga, F. A. (2023). Female breast cancer in Northern Ghana: A retrospective histopathological study at the Department of Pathology of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) (2012 to 2021). Archives of Breast Cancer, 164–174. https://doi.org/10.32768/abc.2023102164-174
5) Katsika, L., Boureka, E., Kalogiannidis, I., Tsakiridis, I., Tirodimos, I., Lallas, K., Tsimtsiou, Z., & Dagklis, T. (2024). Screening for Breast Cancer: A Comparative Review of Guidelines. Life, 14(6), 777. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14060777
6) Khalid, S., Arshad, S., Aqeel, M., Ameer, R., Shaukat, A., Ghous, M., Khaliq, H., Dar, S., & Shahid, A. (2024). EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS OF BREAST CANCER: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON INCIDENCE, MORTALITY, AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES. Biological and Clinical Sciences Research Journal, 2024(1), 1465. https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v2024i1.1465
7) Khanikar, D., Kamalasanan, K., Krishnamurthy, A., Hazarika, M., & Kataki, A. C. (2022). Breast Cancer. In Springer Nature Link (pp. 133–181). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5860-1_10
8) Loibl, S., André, F., Bachelot, T., Barrios, C., Bergh, J., Burstein, H., Cardoso, M., Carey, L., Dawood, S., Del Mastro, L., Denkert, C., Fallenberg, E., Francis, P., Gamal-Eldin, H., Gelmon, K., Geyer, C., Gnant, M., Guarneri, V., Gupta, S., . . . Harbeck, N. (2023). Early breast cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology, 35(2), 159–182.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2023.11.016
9) Sedeta, E. T., Jobre, B., & Avezbakiyev, B. (2023). Breast cancer: Global patterns of incidence, mortality, and trends. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 41(16_suppl), 10528. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2023.41.16_suppl.10528
10) Statistics Solutions. (2025, May 13). Understanding Chi-Square. https://www.statisticssolutions.com/free-resources/directory-of-statistical-analyses/using-chi-square-statistic-in-research/#:~:text=Understanding%20the%20Chi%2DSquare%20Test:%20A%20Simple%20Guide&text=The%20Chi%2DSquare%20test%20checks,significant%20relationship%20between%20the%20variables.
11) The prognostic significance of the size of primary malignant breast tumour in Ghanaian women: a retrospective histopathological review (2001-2014) in the Department of Pathology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). (2022, February 28). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35279043/
12) Tuck, C. Z., Cooper, R., Aryeetey, R., Gray, L. A., & Akparibo, R. (2023). A critical review and analysis of the context, current burden, and application of policy to improve cancer equity in Ghana. International Journal for Equity in Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-023-02067-2
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Patsy Ago Adams, Bernice Konama Gyau, Daniel Ganu, Josephine Ganu, Aime Fidele Ndayiragije Mvuyekure (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
