How Does Age Affect Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour of Albanian Women in Regard to Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine if there is a link between knowledge and behavior towards breast cancer in different age groups of women, taking into consideration guidelines for those group targets. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was designed as a survey over internet, through a questioner. A total of 642 women, aged 40-73 years old completed the questioner. All data gathered was revised and knowledge, attitude and behavior with respect to breast cancer was analyzed for each group, taking into considerations recommendation found in guidelines for breast disease screening, with special focus to breast cancer risk. MAIN OUTCOME Evaluation of knowledge, attitudes and behavior with respect to breast cancer by age groups RESULTS Questions were designed to determine basic knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer. Age as a risk factor was identified in fewer women after the age of 50 compared to the younger ones (p 0.01), a same result was found regarding the increase of risk with family members, who had dealt with breast cancer. Identification of such risk tended to decrease in older women (p 0.001) Younger women were more aware of the fact that 1 in 8 women in their lifetime risk to have breast cancer. (pless than0.001) Women over 60 were less likely to undergo a mammogram as a reassurance compared to those under 60 (p 0.04). Other health issues seemed to have their attention compared to the risk of breast cancer (pless than 0.001) In contrary women in their 40s were more likely to plan to undergo mammograms (pless than0.001) Although about 80 % of women reported to practice breast self examination, only 30 % had it done at the appropriate frequency CONCLUSIONS Young women had information regarding breast cancer risk, but most of them, believed that mammograms had to be performed starting from the age of 35 every year. Breast self-examination technique although reported to be performed, it was either wrong in the frequence or the pattern. Older women believed to be out of the loop for breast cancer risk, linking it to lower estrogen levels. For most part, lack of adequate referral from physician was the main problem. After asking 20 family physicians, 15 gynecologist and 12 radiologists about their role in the referral of women for mammograms, results were as followed most family physicians neglected to advice mammograms, believing that the gynecologist would. Gynecologist believed that the radiologists would have at least once advice their patients for the appropriate frequency in which they should be screened and radiologist believed that it was not their place to create screening schedules for their patients. Lack of Guidelines and education leads Albanian women to underestimate the importance of screening contributing to progressed stages of cancer at the moment of diagnosis. There is a lot to do in educating young women towards healthy behaviour and still very much to teach to doctors about their responsibility in contributing to healthy choices of their patients