Yasin Ghala, Subke Abeer A
Preventive Medicine, Saudi Ministry of Health, Jeddah, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 May 15;16(5):e60337. doi: 10.7759/cureus.60337. eCollection 2024 May.
Breast cancer (BC) represents a major health concern for women globally, including those in Saudi Arabia. Awareness and early detection through screening practices are vital measures in improving BC outcomes.
This study aims to assess the awareness and associated factors of BC screening among Saudi females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 among Saudi females aged 18 and above, residing in Jeddah. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that included sections on demographic characteristics, Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (Breast CAM), knowledge, and factors influencing participation in screening programs. The collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics.
The study, consisting of 454 participants, found that half of them rarely or never checked their breasts and many were not confident about noticing any changes in their breasts. There was a strong awareness of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) BC screening program, but most were uncertain about the age at which screenings should start and end. Only a small percentage reported receiving an invitation for breast screening and an even smaller percentage have participated in the screening. Significant associations were found between higher awareness of BC signs, a monthly family income of over 20,000, and being medically free (p-value <0.05).
The study found a significant gap in BC awareness and screening practices among females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This underlines the importance of targeted health education and awareness programs, as well as accessible and affordable screening services, to improve early detection and outcomes for BC.
乳腺癌是全球女性主要的健康问题，沙特阿拉伯的女性也不例外。通过筛查提高意识并实现早期检测是改善乳腺癌治疗效果的关键措施。
本研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯吉达市沙特女性对乳腺癌筛查的知晓情况及相关因素。
2024年对居住在吉达市、年龄在18岁及以上的沙特女性进行了一项横断面研究。使用结构化问卷收集数据，问卷包括人口统计学特征、乳腺癌知晓度测量（Breast CAM）、知识以及影响参与筛查项目的因素等部分。使用IBM SPSS Statistics对收集到的数据进行分析。
该研究共有454名参与者，发现其中一半人很少或从未检查过自己的乳房，许多人对察觉乳房的任何变化缺乏信心。对卫生部的乳腺癌筛查项目有较高的知晓度，但大多数人不确定筛查应开始和结束的年龄。只有一小部分人报告收到过乳腺癌筛查邀请，参与筛查的比例更小。在对乳腺癌体征的知晓度较高、家庭月收入超过20000以及享受免费医疗之间发现了显著关联（p值<0.05）。
该研究发现沙特阿拉伯吉达市女性在乳腺癌知晓度和筛查实践方面存在显著差距。这凸显了有针对性的健康教育和宣传项目以及可及且负担得起的筛查服务对于改善乳腺癌早期检测和治疗效果的重要性。
