Copyright © 2025 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{166892,
        author = {Gautham Krishna and Glancy B Anand and Nihal Muhammed and Dr. Dhanya Dharman and Prof (Dr) Shaiju S Dharan},
        title = {KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, PRACTICE AND BELIEFS ABOUT BREAST CANCER AND BARRIERS TO BREAST SELF EXAMINATION AMONG WOMEN IN SOUTH KERALA},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2024},
        volume = {11},
        number = {2},
        pages = {2184-2188},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=166892},
        abstract = {Background: Breast cancer is a significant health concern worldwide, with early detection playing a crucial role in improving outcomes. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs about breast cancer and identify barriers to breast self-examination (BSE) among women in South Kerala.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted over six months, involving 500 women aged 13 years and above. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, knowledge of breast cancer symptoms and risk factors, attitudes towards breast health, BSE practices, and perceived barriers. Ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection.
Results: Breast self-examination (BSE) is important for detecting breast cancer early, but many obstacles hinder women from engaging in it consistently. These include insufficient knowledge, fear and worry, body image issues, cultural and societal obstacles, language difficulties, physical challenges, inadequate healthcare access, age and education, negative past experiences, and time constraints. Women lacking healthcare access may not get advice or talk to a healthcare professional about their concerns.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of education and motivation in encouraging BSE among women in India.
},
        keywords = {Breast cancer, Breast self-examination, Awareness, Barriers, Women’s health.},
        month = {July},
        }