Awareness of Breast Cancer Among Male and Female High School Students in Southern Ghana
Florence Dedey, Josephine Nsaful, Edmund Nartey, Kirstyn E. Brownson, Promise E. Sefogah, Elizabeth Bankah, Theresa Oppong-Mensah, Ernest Amoah Ampah, Mary Efua Commeh, Joe-Nat Clegg-Lamptey

TL;DR
This study found that high school students in southern Ghana have limited knowledge about breast cancer, especially regarding risk factors and self-examination, highlighting the need for educational programs in schools.
Contribution
The study provides baseline data on breast cancer awareness among Ghanaian high school students to guide educational interventions.
Findings
Only 47% of students had adequate overall breast cancer knowledge.
Females and girls-only schools showed significantly better knowledge than males and coeducational schools.
Knowledge on risk factors and screening was particularly low, with less than 35% scoring adequately.
Abstract
Background: In Ghana, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing with disproportionately high mortality rates. Awareness about the disease process is critical for achieving early diagnosis of breast cancer in countries without a national screening program. Targeting adolescents in school will help to inculcate good health seeking behaviors with widespread reach. This study assessed the baseline knowledge in high school males and females as an important first step to inform the development of appropriate educational interventions to address identified gaps in student knowledge about breast cancer. Methodology: A multisite cross-sectional study was carried out in 14 high schools in two regions in southern Ghana to assess the baseline student knowledge of breast cancer. Self-administered questionnaires were used covering the following four domains: (1) general breast cancer knowledge,…
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Taxonomy
TopicsGlobal Cancer Incidence and Screening · BRCA gene mutations in cancer · Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
