Background: In lower-and-middle-income countries, clinical breast examination is still relevant for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Advanced breast cancer screening programs are still not widely available in these countries. Exploring the elements that affect females’ decisions to use the service is essential. This chapter discusses the findings of a qualitative descriptive study which sought to explore the perceptions, motivations, and barriers to uptake of clinical breast examination in a developing country, Ghana.
Methods: This was a
descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a
purposive sample of twelve females who participated in a clinical breast
examination exercise. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and
thematically analysed.
Results: Perceived benefits of clinical breast examination were
psychological relief, knowledge and skill gain, early diagnosis, and inspiring
other females. Respondents were motivated by fear of dying, personal curiosity,
excellent patient service, and public awareness. Barriers were poor service
delivery, financial constraints, anxiety about hearing a diagnosis of breast
cancer, and peer pressure. Self-breast examinations were carried out more
frequently by respondents who expressed anxiety related to breast cancer than
by those who did not. In general, respondents' understanding of breast cancer
and breast cancer detection techniques was poor.
Conclusion: Health interventions in developing countries aimed at
promoting health-seeking behaviours, such as the uptake of clinical breast exams,
must be redesigned to consider the data regarding the variables affecting these
interventions' uptake.
Author (s) Details
Buunaaisie Camillus
Public Health Division, 37 Military Hospital, Neghelli Barracks,
Liberation Road, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana and Tamale Teaching Hospital. P.
O. BoxTL16, Tamale. Northern Region, Ghana.
Philip Nyinaku
Public Health Division, 37 Military Hospital, Neghelli Barracks,
Liberation Road, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana and College of Post-Graduate
Studies, 37 Military Hospital. Neghelli Barracks, Liberation Road, Accra,
Greater Accra, Ghana.
Daniel Mingle
Public Health Division, 37 Military Hospital, Neghelli Barracks,
Liberation Road, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana.
Cynthia Adiasani
Public Health Division, 37 Military Hospital, Neghelli Barracks,
Liberation Road, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana.
Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/acmms/v1/2950
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