BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN KARA, NORTHEN TOGO

The aim of thisstudywasassessed the knowledge and practices of breast self-examinationamongwomen in Kara town, north Togo Materials and Methods : A cross-sectional, multicentre studywasconducted at the gynaecology-obstetricsdepartments of the three major hospitals of Kara townfromJanuary 2020 to May 2020. The studyinvolvedwomen of childbearingage (15-49 years) attendingfamily planning or antenatal care whoagreed to participate the survey. Results : The meanagewas 25,52 years. Womenunder 35 yearsaccounted for 70.83%. Primaryleveleducation and no formaleducationweremajority and bothaccounted for more thanhalf (55.96%). Out of the 336 respondents, 82,78% hadheard of breast cancer. But 52.68% wereunaware of the possibility of self-examination. Regarding to practice, 29,47% of themreportedpracticed or everpracticedbreast self-examination. The barriers of thislow practice werelack of knowledge (58,73%), carelessness (28,57%), no breastsign (12,69%). womenunder 35years old, and who have tertiaryeducationallevelwere more likely to practice breast self-examination (p < 0.05) Conclusion : The studyhadshowedlowknwoledge and practice of breast self-examinationamongwomen in Kara town, north Togo.