Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences - East Africa, Aga, Khan University Nairobi, 3rd Parklands Avenue, P.O. Box 30270-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Centre for Population, Faculty of Health Sciences - East Africa, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, 3rd Parklands Avenue, P.O. Box 30270-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
BMC Public Health. 2019 Feb 12;19(1):180. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6464-3.
Data on breast healthcare knowledge, perceptions and practice among women in rural Kenya is limited. Furthermore, the role of the male head of household in influencing a woman's breast health seeking behavior is also not known. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions and practice of breast cancer among women, male heads of households, opinion leaders and healthcare providers within a rural community in Kenya. Our secondary objective was to explore the role of male heads of households in influencing a woman's breast health seeking behavior.
This was a mixed method cross-sectional study, conducted between Sept 1st 2015 Sept 30th 2016. We administered surveys to women and male heads of households. Outcomes of interest were analysed in Stata ver 13 and tabulated against gender. We conducted six focus group discussions (FGDs) and 22 key informant interviews (KIIs) with opinion leaders and health care providers, respectively. Elements of the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) were used to guide analysis of the FGDs and the KIIs.
A total of 442 women and 237 male heads of households participated in the survey. Although more than 80% of respondents had heard of breast cancer, fewer than 10% of women and male heads of households had knowledge of 2 or more of its risk factors. More than 85% of both men and women perceived breast cancer as a very serious illness. Over 90% of respondents would visit a health facility for a breast lump. Variable recognition of signs of breast cancer, limited decision- autonomy for women, a preference for traditional healers, lack of trust in the health care system, inadequate access to services, limited early-detection services were the six themes that emerged from the FGDs and the KIIs. There were discrepancies between the qualitative and quantitative data for the perceived role of the male head of household as a barrier to seeking breast health care.
Determining level of breast cancer knowledge, the characteristics of breast health seeking behavior and the perceived barriers to accessing breast health are the first steps in establishing locally relevant intervention programs.
肯尼亚农村地区女性的乳腺保健知识、认知和实践数据有限。此外，男户主在影响女性寻求乳腺健康行为方面的作用也尚不清楚。本研究旨在评估肯尼亚农村社区的女性、男户主、意见领袖和医疗保健提供者对乳腺癌的知识、认知和实践。我们的次要目标是探讨男户主在影响女性寻求乳腺健康行为方面的作用。
这是一项混合方法的横断面研究，于 2015 年 9 月 1 日至 2016 年 9 月 30 日进行。我们对女性和男户主进行了调查。感兴趣的结果在 Stata ver 13 中进行分析，并按性别进行分类。我们分别进行了 6 次焦点小组讨论（FGD）和 22 次关键知情人访谈（KII）。快速评估过程（RAP）的要素用于指导 FGD 和 KII 的分析。
共有 442 名女性和 237 名男户主参加了调查。尽管超过 80%的受访者听说过乳腺癌，但只有不到 10%的女性和男户主知道 2 种或以上的乳腺癌风险因素。超过 85%的男性和女性都认为乳腺癌是一种非常严重的疾病。超过 90%的受访者会因乳房肿块去医疗机构就诊。FGD 和 KII 中出现了六个主题：变量对乳腺癌症状的识别、女性决策自主权有限、对传统治疗师的偏好、对医疗保健系统缺乏信任、服务获取受限、早期检测服务有限。男户主被认为是寻求乳腺保健的障碍，但定性和定量数据之间存在差异。
确定乳腺癌知识水平、乳腺保健寻求行为的特征以及获取乳腺保健的感知障碍是制定当地相关干预计划的第一步。
