ASSESSMENT OF LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF BREAST CANCER AND RISK FACTORS AMONG NURSES IN TEACHING HOSPITAL OF MULTAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. Educating women on breast cancer is key to early detection, and nurses are well-positioned to share this information. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Nishter Hospital of Multan using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. A total of 609 registered female nurses were interviewed using a structured questionnaire adapted from the Stager's Comprehensive Breast Cancer Knowledge Test. Knowledge of breast cancer risk factors was categorized into good, fair and poor categories. Ordinal regression was used to identify factors associated with risk knowledge among nurses. Thirty five percent of nurses had good knowledge of risk factors. Graduates from private nursing schools (aOR = 4.23, 95% CI: 2.93, 6.10), nurses who had cared for breast cancer patients (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.99), those having received a breast examination themselves (aOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.26) or those who ever examined a patient's breast (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.34, 2.61) were more likely to have good knowledge. The study highlights the need for improved breast cancer education in nursing schools and ongoing workplace training to enhance nurses' awareness and early detection efforts.