Assessment of Factors that Affect Awareness of the Preventive Measures of Breast Cancer among Women in Ivo, Lga of Ebonyi State

This study assessed the various factors influencing awareness and knowledge of breast cancer preventive measures among women in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A total of 310 women participated in the study through a self-administered questionnaire that captured their sociodemographic data, awareness levels, knowledge, and practices regarding breast cancer. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16. The mean age of participants was 32.5 years ± 8.83. Findings revealed that 46.9% of the respondents had good awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. However, a significant proportion of the women demonstrated poor awareness of breast cancer risk factors (83.9%) and an even higher percentage had poor overall knowledge of breast cancer (97.7%). Although 263 women reported having heard of Breast Self-Examination (BSE), only 151 (48.6%) actually practiced it. Furthermore, only 16.7% had good knowledge of BSE. Alarmingly, 90.4% of the respondents had poor awareness of general breast cancer screening and preventive measures, including BSE, Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and mammography. These results highlight a major gap in breast cancer education and practice among rural women in Ivo. The study underscores the urgent need for targeted and sustained medical education and community outreach programmes to improve women’s awareness and knowledge about breast cancer, especially its risk factors, early warning signs, and available screening methods. Strengthening health communication strategies in rural areas will play a critical role in enhancing early detection and reducing the burden of breast cancer in these communities.