بررسی آگاهی و عملکرد زنان بالای 15 سال شهرستان ساری نسبت به سرطان پستان در سال 1383

Background and purpose : Screening and preventive programs are the important components in reduction of breast cancer morbidity and mortality. Materials and methods : Ïn this cross-sectional descriptive study, above 15 years old females were selected and were randomly divided in 6 stratums based on the determined aims. Results : We collected 400 questionnaires per stratum and totally 2400 cases with mean age of 25.01 ± 8.78 years and age range of 15-78 entered in this study. Âlso 46.9% were married, 86.7% had a medium to high education, 23.5% were housewives, 54.2% students and family history of breast cancer was reported in 25.8%. Knowledge about breast cancer prevention was good in 28.5%, low in 67.3%, and poor in 4.2%. Ït was shown taht 37% of the females 20 to 40 years and 48.8% above 40 years performed breast self-examination. But only 17.1% did it monthly. Âpproximately, 13.12% felt very confident about their correctly done self breast examination. Âlso 82.6% of the women 20 years and older did not refere to specialist for the last 2 years. Âmong women 40 years of age and higher, approximately 65.86% refered specialist once and 47.3% did mammoggraphy in the last two years and 61.07% have had at least one mommography in their life time. Çonclusion: The Ïranian female population need for planning health education interventions and population-based specific regular screening programs to improve cancer prevention.