Afganistan Kabil'deki İstiqlal ve Jumhuriat Hastanelerine başvuran Afgan kadınların meme kanseri ile ilgili bilgi, tutum ve uygulamaları

Breast cancer incidence is increasing in developing countries, however, it is the most common and frequently type of cancer among women both in developed and developing countries and it is the second major cause of death in women globally. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding breast cancer among Afghan women visiting Istiqlal and Jumhuriat hospitals in Kabul city, Afghanistan. A standard questionnaire which modified to suite the study was used to collect data from women aged 18 years and over, and from only those who agreed to participate in the study, and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. By using convenience sampling method, data was collected from a sample of 410 women. The mean age was 33.81±13.08. The findings of the study revealed that among 410 participants, 40.7% of them had poor, 52.4% of them had fair, and only 6.8% of participants had good knowledge about breast cancer. Among all participants to the study 70% of them had negative attitudes and 30% of them had positive attitudes towards breast cancer and its screening methods. From all participants, 27.6% of them practiced breast self-examination, 14.9% of them visited a doctor for clinical breast examination during the past one year. 13.9% of them performed mammogram in the past two years. There were significant associations observed between knowledge, attitudes and practices of breast cancer among participants. Overall, the knowledge level, attitudes and practices of breast cancer and its screening was weak among participants. Government and health sectors need to raise people's awareness towards breast cancer and increase the screening facilities in healthcare centers across the country. However, it is recommended to conduct further researches regarding knowledge level on breast cancer and find disease burden among general population. Keywords: Afghanistan, Afghan women, breast cancer, knowledge, attitude, practice.