Abstract
Breast cancer is a major life-threatening public health problem of great global concern. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide and the commonest malignancy in females affecting more than a million females annually. Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is a technique in which a woman examines her own breasts by seeing and feeling with fingers to detect breast lump. One of the best ways of preventing breast cancer in a woman is to be breast aware, that is understanding and knowing how your breast look and feel like under normal circumstances, so that women are able to seek early medical advice if they have any changes in either breast. Women can always perform breast self examination to detect any changes with their breasts. In view of this background, this study analyzes the knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self examination among female undergraduate students in Kaduna State University. To address the problem of study, three research questions were raised. The researcher adopted a survey research design and in-depth interview (IDI). A total of one hundred and sixty-four (164) respondents comprised the target of the study. Questionnaire and in-depth-interview guide were the instrument used for data collection. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), frequency tables and percentages (%) were employed in the data analysis. It was discovered that most of the respondents in the study area had good knowledge of breast self-examination and believed breast self-examination was necessary to improve early breast cancer detection. Most of the respondents were in favour of breast self-examination. It was recommended that sensitization campaigns using the audio and visual media and other programs designed to create awareness about breast self-examination should be intensified in order to change the attitude of young women in the study area towards the practice of breast self-examinations in the prevention of breast cancer.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - 4
1.3 Research Questions - - - - - - - 6
1.4 Objective of the Study - - - - - - 6
1.5 Significance of the Study - - - - - - 7
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study - - -
1.7 Definition of Key Terms - - - - - - 8
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
2.2 Level of Knowledge of Breast self-examination in Nigeria- - - 9
2.3 Attitude towards Breast Self-Examination in Nigeria - - - 16
2.4 Level of Practice of Breast Self-Examination in Nigeria - 24
2.5 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
2.5.1The Health Belief Model (HBM) - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Location of the Study - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 40
3.2Source of Data Collection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41
3.3Population of Study and Sampling Technique - - - - - - - 41
3.4Methods of Data Collection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
3.5 Methods of Data Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
3.6Problems Encountered in the Field - - - - - - - - - - - 44
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
4.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
4.2 Socio-Demographic Data of the Respondents - - - - - - -46
4.3 Knowledge of breast self-examination - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
4.4 Attitudes towards Breast Self-Examination- - - - - - - - - -- 52
4.5 Practice of Breast Self-examination - - - - - - - - - -- - --- 57
4.6 Discussion of Major Findings - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - 70
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - 72
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - 72
References - - - - - - - - 75
Appendices - - - - - - - - 87
