247933 Breast Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs and Practices among female Nurses and Midwives in Ghana

Monday, October 31, 2011

Ibrahim A. Ali, MSW, MPH , Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Beti Thompson, PhD , Public Health Sciences/Cancer Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
David Thomas, MD, DrPH , Public Health Sciences/Epidemiology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with over one million new cases diagnosed annually. Women in low and middle income countries will be burdened with 45% of global breast cancer cases resulting in 55% of breast cancer-related deaths. Few studies have examined health care professionals' knowledge, beliefs and personal practices. This study assessed breast cancer knowledge, beliefs and practices of female Nurses and Midwives in Ghana. Objective: The overall objective of cross sectional descriptive study was to identify and describe the current level of breast cancer knowledge, beliefs and practices among female Nurses and Midwives in Ghana. Method: A quantitative method of data collection was employed using a structured 60 item questionnaire divided into 5 sections: general breast cancer knowledge; breast cancer related education and training; personal beliefs about breast cancer, personal breast cancer screening practices and demographic information. Self administered surveys were conducted on a sample of 251 female nurses and midwives from 8 health care facilities. Results: The results from the study was that breast cancer knowledge was a predictor of good personal practice but other sociodemographic characteristics such as age, profession, marital status, years of professional practice and years of education contributed little to overall breast cancer knowledge. Recommendations: There is the need to incorporate non communicable disease curriculum into the professional training of nurses and midwives in addition to developing culturally responsive continuing medical education programs to fill current gaps in knowledge.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe breast cancer knowledge, beliefs and practices among Nurses and Midwives in Ghana. 2. Identify the sources of current breast cancer knowledge available to Nurses and Midwives in Ghana. 3. To identify correlations between demographic characteristics and levels of breast cancer knowledge among Ghanaian Nurses and Midwives.

Keywords: Health Education, Breast Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I independently designed and conducted the study as part of my Masters in Public Health (Global Health) degree program at the University if Washington.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.