A survey on breast self-examination among Thai adult women in a rural distant subdistrict.

Breast cancer is an important female malignancy for which physician examination is an accepted screening method. In inaccessible rural areas, where physicians are lack, breast self-examination (BSE) may be the most effective screening method (Jatoi, 2003; Champion, 2003) and studies of BSE practice among the female population can provide good data on planning for breast cancer prevention (Jatoi, 2003; Champion, 2003; Jirojwong and MacLennan, 2003). Little is known about breast cancer screening, particularly breast self-examination (BSE), among Thai adult women. There was one recent report, but the Thai women were immigrants into Australia (Jirojwong and MacLennan, 2003). Here, the author reports the results of a preliminary survey on breast self-examination among Thai adult women in a ruralsubdistrict. The site was Wanchai subdistrict, Borabue district, Mahasarakarm province, located in Northeastern Thailand about 470 kilometers from Bangkok. The survey was performed during May 2003 covering 3 villages, randomized sampling from all 6 villages in the subdistrict. All 152 available adult women, aged > 15 years old, in these villages were interviewed about whether they had ever performed BSE. In cases that the subjects replied no, they were asked for the reason. In addition, a free site health examination service was set for the villagers including breast examination by the health team. The data from the on-site clinical breast examination (CBE) were collected and positive cases were followed up. In the present study, 2 cases (1.3 %) out of 152 women performed BSE regularly and they also had annually CBE by the physician. Among 150 without experience of BSE, 14 (9.2 %) said they knew it was a meaningful procedure for breast cancer prevention but most believed that having their breasts touched was a shameful practice and 136 women had never undergone CBE. For the health examination service, 48 of 152 subjects (31.6 %) joined the program and had CBE. Breast lumps were detected in two cases which were advised to visit the physician at the hospital district A Survey on Breast Self-examination Among Thai Adult Women in a Rural Distant Subdistrict