Factors influencing breast cancer awareness: a cross-sectional study in China

J Comp Eff Res. 2020 Jul;9(10):679-689. doi: 10.2217/cer-2020-0037. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore the factors that influence breast cancer awareness. Materials & methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2019 in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. Results: A total of 274 women were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants had a moderate level of breast cancer awareness (median = 76.50 [68.75, 84.00]). Women in the action/maintenance stages reported higher breast cancer awareness (p = 0.044). Women's breast cancer awareness was positively associated with high health information literacy level, husbands' higher educational degrees, seeing doctors after detecting abnormal breast changes and living within a short distance from the nearest hospital. Conclusion: History of screening and higher health information literacy levels are important positive factors linked to higher breast cancer awareness.

Keywords: China; awareness; breast cancer; health information literacy; influential factors; screening.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • China / epidemiology
  • Community-Based Participatory Research
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Health Literacy*
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Surveys and Questionnaires