Risk perception on breast cancer and acceptance of screening with mammogram by female nurses in tertiary health facilities in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: Breast cancer remains the major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women globally. The risk of breast cancer increases with advancing age. Screening programs have been demonstrated to significantly reduce breast cancer mortality. Aim: The main objective was to assess risk perception and acceptance of mammogram as a screening tool for the early detection of breast cancer among female nurses working in three tertiary health facilities in the city of Jos. The study also determined the factors that impede the acceptance of mammogram. Materials and Methods: Self-administered semi-structured questionnaires were administered at random to 450 female nurses across the three tertiary health facilities in the city of Jos. The questionnaires were structured into six sections, namely sociodemographic, knowledge of the risk of breast cancer, mammogram use and acceptance barriers to the use of mammogram, and possible obstacles to the utilization of mammogram. The resources were scored and graded accordingly. Results: A total of 450 nurses participated with the median age of the participants as 28 years (23–39), 66.7% were younger than 35 years of age, and 54.4% were single. The educational background showed that 53.6% had bachelor's degrees and the remaining had diplomas (46.4%). On risk perception, only 40.7% of the respondents had a good perception of risk factors for breast cancer, while 59.3% had a poor perception. Only 52 (11.6%) of the 450 participants have ever had a form of the mammogram. Conclusion: The study showed that less than half of the respondents had a good perception on the risk of breast cancer and also the rate mammogram acceptance was very low.