Young women’s awareness of breast cancer prevention

Introduction and aim of the study: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasms found in women. Also, it is the most-frequent cause of death among Polish women. This condition represents not only a medical, but also a social issue.

The main aim of this study was to assess young women’s awareness of breast cancer prevention.

Material and methods: The study was conducted from April until June 2013 and covered 100 female residents of the Lubelskie Province (Voivodeship). The study employed a questionnaire based diagnostic survey method using author-designed questionnaires.

Results and conclusions: Almost all respondents were aware of what mammography was. This examination is typically performed at specific intervals. Currently, these are recommended by the Polish National Health Fund at two years. One third of the respondents knew this fact. Three quarters of the respondents were aware of how often (i.e. once a month) they needed to perform breast self-examination. In addition to performing this examination on a regular basis, women should remember to do so at the right moment in their menstrual cycles. More than half the respondents knew that they had to examine their breasts immediately after menstruation. Almost half the women aged 20-45 who lived near Lublin had never undergone any additional screening tests for the early detection of mammary gland pathologies. Media (television, internet, magazines) were found to be the most popular source of information on breast cancer prevention among the respondents.