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Table 2 Knowledge and perceptions of breast cancer among female members and male heads of households in Kaloleni sub-county, Kenya

From: Breast Cancer knowledge, perceptions and practices in a rural Community in Coastal Kenya

 

Females (n = 442)

Males (n = 237)

Question

n(%)a

n(%)a

Have you heard of cancer?

 Yes

374(85.4)

227(96.2)

 No

64(14.6)

9(3.8)

Have you heard of breast cancer?

 Yes

357(81.5)

217(92.3)

 No

81(18.5)

18(7.7)

Have you known someone with BC?

 Yes

151(34.6)

105(44.5)

 No

286(65.5)

131(55.5)

How much do you know about BC?

 Nothing at all

193(44.8)

64(27.2)

 Only heard the term

88(20.4)

40(17.0)

 A little

134(31.1)

122(51.9)

 Very familiar

14(3.3)

9(3.8)

Is BC a serious illness?

 Yes

226(85.6)

162(94.2)

 No

3(1.1)

1(0.6)

 Don’t know

35(13.3)

9(5.2)

What causes BC?

 Don’t know

407(93.6)

216(92.3)

 Otherb

24(5.52)

18(7.7)

Do men get BC?

 Yes

43(9.9)

76(33.8)

 No

159(36.6)

56(29.9)

 Don’t’ know

233(53.6)

93(41.3)

Is BC curable?

 Yes

210(48.0)

142(60.4)

 No

68(15.5)

33(14.0)

 Don’t know

160(36.5)

60(25.5)

Can you survive BC if it is detected early?

 Yes

255(58.2)

171(72.8)

 No

47(10.7)

26(11.1)

Don’t know

136(31.1)

38(16.2)

Can a traditional healer treat BC?

 Yes

17(3.9)

7(3.0)

 No

334(77.1)

188(80.3)

 Don’t know

82(18.9)

39(16.7)

  1. BC = breast cancer
  2. a total numbers may not add up to 442 (females) or 237 (males) because some respondents did not respond to specific questions
  3. bIncluding viruses, close contact with a person with BC, heredity, lifestyle, evil eye and witchcraft