Determinants of breast cancer screening services uptake among women in the Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana: A population-based study

Abstract

Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women worldwide with an annual incidence of 1.4 million cases. In many developed countries, improved access to screening and advances in treatment strategies have lowered breast cancer mortality. Early detection through mammography and other screenings has been linked with decreased breast cancer among women. The Low uptake of Breast cancer screening services is still a big challenge to public health in many developing countries including Ghana. Breast cancer screening rate among Ghanaian women is very low; Breast Self-Examination 32%, Clinical Breast-Examination 12% and mammogram 2%.

Methodology This was a descriptive cross sectional study using a stratified random sampling method was used to recruit 427 participants aged 30-70 years from three out of the nine sub-municipalities. A semi structured questionnaire and a face-to-face interview was used for data collection. Analysis was done using SPSS version 23. Proportions of screened and unscreened were analysed using chi square test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Ethical approval acquisition was prior to this study from the Hanyang University IRB.

Results The mean age of the respondents was 37 (SD±7). About 61.4% of the women interviewed are practicing BSE, 21.3% CBE and 2.8% mammography. The uptake of screening were associated with the age ((p 0.017), educational level (p 0.010), marital status (p <0.001), Income level (p 0.035), employment (p <0.001) and health insurance (p 0.007). awareness on breast cancer and screening campaigns (p<0.001), risk factor on breast cancer (9 <0.001) and awareness on signs and symptoms (p 0.001). Affordability and Accessibility were also strongly associated to the screening uptake (p <0.001).

Conclusion The screening uptakes though slightly higher than the earlier study, it is still below the appreciable rates and hence the need to take to account associated determinants identified in this study to be able to improve on women heal reduce the incidence.