KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOURAL DISPOSITION OF NIGERIAN WOMEN TOWARDS BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is one of the most important diseases for women to know about, unfortunately, inadequate and incomplete knowledge coupled with wrong attitude towards the disease have been found to be one of the reasons why it is still highly prevalent in most low and middle income countries (LMCs) today. Knowledge is central to the curtailment of breast cancer as knowledge empowers and liberates from ignorance. Having the right attitude is also important for sound judgment and prompt action. It has been observed that women of the African descent usually tend to underestimate their vulnerability to breast cancer as they employ a “breast cancer related thought avoidance” mechanism. Not much attention has been paid to disseminating knowledge and the promotion of attitudinal change about breast cancer with a view of preventing it from spreading and consequently saving the lives of women mostly affected. This study, conducted in 5 South-western Nigerian communities set out to examine the level of knowledge, attitude and behavioural disposition of women towards breast cancer. This is aimed at investigating the level of breast cancer knowledge among Nigerian women, and to examine the way they experience and respond to the incidence of the disease. Findings among others revealed that knowledge and awareness of breast cancer are not enough to make women consider it as a threat, and that, what rather influences the attitude of women towards breast cancer is having a familial breast cancer history, and, their personal belief which is strongly influenced by spirituality that often make them live in denial of their risk thereby making them evade and delay the adoption of a suggested preventive action