Abstract:
Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed and the leading cause of
death among women worldwide. Good knowledge of breast cancer on part of women
enhances timely screening, early detection, and treatment. However; the level of knowledge
regarding breast cancer among women of childbearing age living in Jimma is unknown.
Objective: To assess the breast cancer knowledge and associated factors among women of
child bearing age group in Jimma town, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study on 724 respondents was conducted in
Jimma town, from March 01 to March 31, 2018.respondents were identified using multistage
sampling methods. Data was collected using face to face interviewer administered breast
cancer awareness measure tool. The data was entered by Epi Data version 3.1 and exported
to statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Logistic regression analysis was carried
out and all variables with p value less than 0.25 in bi-variate analysis were candidates for
multiple logistic regression analysis to identify a variable which have significant association
on the basis of OR, 95%CI and P value of less than 0.05.
Results: Out of 724 respondents, 686 gave their complete response, which provide a
response rate of 95%. Only 35% of respondents knew breast cancer, more specifically 20%
had knowledge of risk factors, 45% had knowledge of signs and symptom, and 39 % had
knowledge of screening methods. Maternal age, educational level, marital status, occupation,
source of information, and monthly income and positive family history breast cancer are
significantly associated with women’s knowledge of breast cancer at P value less than 0.05.
Conclusion and recommendation: Just over one-third (35%) of women of child
bearing age in Jimma Town are knowledgeable about breast cancer. Maternal age,
educational level, marital status, occupation, source of information, and monthly income and
positive family history breast cancer are statistically associated with women’s knowledge of
breast cancer Efforts should be made to improve, educational level, occupation, source of
information, and monthly income to positively enhance women’s knowledge of breast cancer.
