IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (JDMS) ISSN: 2279-0853, ISBN: 2279-0861. Volume 2, Issue 2 (Nov.- Dec. 2012), PP 42-47 www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 42 | Page Awareness, Knowledge and Practices of Breast Cancer Prevention among Women with Family History of Breast Cancer in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria Ademola Lukman Adelekan 1 , Elizabeth Ronami Edoni 2 1 (Health Promotion and Education Department, College of Medicine/University of Ibadan, Nigeria) 2 (Department of Community Health, College of Health Sciences/Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Nigeria) Abstract: Women with Family History (FH) of Breast Cancer (BRCA) in first-degree relative have a relative risk >4 due to inherited genetic mutation genes. This study therefore assessed knowledge and practices of BRCA prevention among women with FH of BRCA in the study area. This is a cross-sectional study. Snowball sampling technique was used to select 189 women with FH of BRCA. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtained data and Descriptive statistics and t-test were used for the analysis. Respondents mean age was 43.4±9.2 years. Some (42.9%) were not aware of their susceptibility to BRCA. Some (42.9%) of respondents have family members who had died of BRCA and 13.2% have family members who currently have BRCA. Many (61.4%) believed that BRCA is not curable even when detected early and 65.1% did not know that painless lump in the breast is one of the signs of BRCA. Preventive practices among respondents included regular taking of herbs (67.5%) and breastfeeding for longer than 1 year (14.5%). Majority (96.3%) and 38.6% have never performed mammogram and breast self examination respectively. Incorrect preventive practices existed among respondents. Information, education and communication programme on breast cancer prevention should be intensified for these women. Keywords: Awareness, Breast Cancer, Family History, Knowledge, Practices I. Introduction There are diverse risk factors that may affect each woman’s susceptibility to Breast Cancer (BRCA) [1]. Family History (FH) of BRCA has been scientifically documented as one of the risk factors associated with it. BRCA is the commonest cancer among women in the world and in Nigeria [2]. The relative frequencies of BRCA among other female cancers, from Cancer Registries in Nigeria were 35.3% in Ibadan, 28.2% in Ife- Ijesha, 44.5% in Enugu, 17% in Eruwa, 37.5% in Lagos, 20.5% in Zaria and 29.8% in Calabar [3]. In all the centers, except Calabar and Eruwa, breast cancer rated first among other cancers. Further reports showed that majority of cases occurred in pre menopausal women, and the mean age of occurrence ranged between 43 –50 years across the regions. The youngest age recorded was 16 years, from Lagos [3]. Adebamowo and Ajayi [2] also reported that peak age of incidence in Nigeria is 42.6 years, and that 12% of cases occurred before 30 years while postmenopausal women accounted for 20% of cases. In a recent oncological review of cases in Jos, Nigeria, over an 8-year period, BRCA was reported to account for 56.6% of all cancer diagnosis between 1995- 2002 [4]. Among Nigerian women, the peak age of BRCA presentation is about 10-15years earlier than what is observed in Caucasian women, where it occurs between the ages of 35-45 years. Seventy percent of Nigerian women present with advanced staged disease while the five-year survival rate is less than 10% compared with over 70% in Western Europe and North America [5]. Odusanya found BRCA to be the most common surgical condition women worry about in a list of eleven comparable conditions [6]. According to Odusanya, BRCA is not well understood by women and there is a need for information and enlightenment if they are to present early in hospital. Among Nigerian women, some of the factors preventing early hospital presentation and thus increasing mortalities are thought to include inadequacy of systems protecting and promoting women’s health and cultural taboos regarding the female body. Lack of knowledge about BRCA has also been identified as an important factor preventing women from participating in BRCA screening. Few studies have examined the knowledge, attitude and practice of women towards BRCA in Nigeria [6,7,8,]. These studies are often of small sample size and targeted women in special professions. We are unaware of any study that has examined these issues among women with FH of BRCA who constitute the majority of at risk women both for the disease and late presentation. This study recruiting 189 women with FH of BRCA in both urban and rural communities in Nigeria was designed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of these women towards BRCA.