Knowledge and preventive practices regarding breast self-examination in women at the primary care level

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer, due to its high morbidity and mortality, represents a major public health concern worldwide. Early detection remains the main control strategy, and in this context, breast self examination (BSE) is considered an accessible practice that promotes body awareness and early identification of abnormalities in women of reproductive age. Objective: To analyze the level of knowledge and preventive practices related to breast self examination in women of reproductive age attended at the primary level of care. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, non experimental, cross sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted in a public health facility. The sample consisted of 316 women aged 15 to 46 years, selected through non probabilistic convenience sampling with consecutive recruitment. Data collection was carried out using a structured 22 item questionnaire, with adequate internal consistency (alpha = 0.95). Results: A total of 61.4 percent of participants showed a moderate level of knowledge about BSE, followed by low level (21.5 percent) and high level (17.1 percent). Regarding practice, 62.0 percent performed breast self examination adequately, 30.1 percent partially adequately, and 7.9 percent inadequately. The main barriers identified were fear of detecting a disease (40.8 percent), lack of interest (18.0 percent), and lack of knowledge of the correct technique (11.1 percent). Conclusion: Although a moderate level of knowledge and generally adequate practices predominated, educational gaps and emotional barriers persist, limiting the correct and sustained performance of breast self examination and the timely seeking of medical care. Strengthening comprehensive educational strategies at the primary care level is recommended to improve prevention and early detection of breast cancer.