Maham Javed, Razia Chaudhry, Mushal Noor, Khalid Javed Abid.
Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Practices for Breast Cancer among Health Professionals at Shalamar Medical and Dental College/ Hospital Lahore.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;7(3):582-7.

Aim: To assess knowledge attitude and preventive practices regarding risk factors, symptoms, screening for breast cancer technique and practice of Breast self Examination, among medical and nursing students and other health care professionals. Methods: A Cross sectional study was carried out at Shalimar Medical and Dental College and Hospital Lahore from July 2013 to September 2013. A total of 144 health care professionals including Medical students in fourth year (53), House officers, Medical officers, Post graduate residents (29), consultants (34), BSc and General nursing students of 3rd and 4th year (14) and staff nurses (14) were requested to fill a questionnaire designed to assess knowledge and practices about risk factors, signs and symptoms, screening tools, Breast Self Examination (BSE) and treatment modalities. Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 16. Descriptive analysis of all variables and Cross tabulation was done with variable of interest like academic qualification. Results: Ninety four (94.4)% of respondent said yes for increasing age as a risk factor, 97.2% believe that positive family history is also a risk factor while 70 to 77% were in favor of early menarche, late menopause, nulliparity, contraceptive pills intake and obesity is also a risk facto for carcinoma breast. Some dissociation regarding smoking was observed. Majority (84%) were in favor of mammography as best screening test. 2/3rd of the respondents preferred to consult surgeon after breast lump detection. Hundred % think that BSE is helpful for early detection but only half of the medical and nursing students knew the correct time and technique of BSE. Conclusion: Medical professional especially medical and nursing students have adequate knowledge about risk factors. Most of medical specialist had knowledge about screening test of choice. Female Consultants and medical graduates had high knowledge about Breast self examination (BSE) practice techniques but medical and nursing students were lag behind about BSE practice time and technique.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com