Misconceptions and Perceptions on Breast Cancer Risk in Kilifi SouthSubcounty

Abstract

The objective was to find out the misconceptions and perceptions associated with breast cancer in Kilifi south subcounty. A survey was conducted on a random sample of women in Kilifi South with no history of breast cancer. The Survey instrument were questionnaires which included measures of perceptions and misconceptions of breast cancer for themselves and for the average woman, perceptions of risk factors that influenced their risk and the average woman’s risk for breast cancer. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and spearman’s correlations were used to analyze the data. A spearman’s correlation coefficient showed that, women’s perceptions on Witchcraft as a cause for cancer were related to Cancer being a curse. The correlation was statistically significant at 5% level of significance, (R=0. 5182, S=4462.4, p=0.0003016). A Pearson’s chi-square test also confirmed this (χ2=47.407, P-value=0.000). This probably explains why the uptake of screening services provided by the government in the health centers across the counties has not been effective.