Data from: Modifiable patient-related barriers and their association with breast cancer detection practices among Ugandan women without a diagnosis of breast cancer

Most women with breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are diagnosed
with late-staged disease. The current study assesses patient-related
barriers among women from a general SSA population to better understand
how patient-related barriers contribute to diagnostic delays. Using
convenience-based sampling, 401 Ugandan women without breast cancer were
surveyed to determine how prior participation in cancer detection
practices correlate with patient-related barriers to prompt diagnosis. In
a predominantly poor (76%) and rural population (75%), the median age of
the participants was 38. Of the women surveyed, 155 (46%) had prior
exposure to breast cancer education, 92 (27%) performed breast
self-examination (BSE) and 68 (20%) had undergone a recent clinical breast
examination (CBE), breast ultrasound or breast biopsy. The most commonly
identified barriers to prompt diagnosis were knowledge deficits regarding
early diagnosis (79%), economic barriers to accessing care (68%), fear
(37%) and poor social support (24%). However, only women who reported
knowledge deficits – a modifiable barrier – were less likely to
participate in cancer detection practices (p<0.05). Women in urban
and rural areas were similarly likely to report economic barriers,
knowledge deficits and/or poor social support, but rural women were less
likely than urban women to have received breast cancer education and/or
perform BSE (p<0.001). Women who have had prior breast cancer
education (p<0.001) and/or who perform BSE (p=0.02) were more
likely to know where she can go to receive a diagnostic breast evaluation.
These findings suggest that SSA countries developing early breast cancer
detection programs should specifically address modifiable knowledge
deficits among women less likely to achieve a diagnostic work-up to reduce
diagnostic delays and improve breast cancer outcomes.