Beliefs about Breast Cancer among Women in the Western Amazon: A Population-Based Study

摘要

Objective: Evaluate the beliefs about the risk factors for breast cancer in a population of women from the westernAmazon and determine the factors associated with the higher belief scores presented by this population. Methods:A population-based cross-sectional study included 478 women aged 40 years residing in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil.An American Cancer Society questionnaire was applied to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about breastcancer. Results: The main beliefs about the risk factors for breast cancer were breast trauma (95%), use of underwirebra (58.5%), and a high number of sexual partners (55.5%). Women from younger age groups presented higher beliefscores (Bcoefficient: –0.04, 95% CI: –0.07; –0.01) than those of women from older age groups. A strong association wasnoted between high knowledge scores of risk factors and signs/symptoms of the disease and high belief scores in thestudy group (Bcoefficient:0.33;95%CI:0.28;0.38). Conclusion: The results indicate the existence of important beliefsrelated to the risk factors for breast cancer. Women from younger age groups, women who have seen a gynecologist inthe past 2 years, and women who had more knowledge about the risk factors and signs and symptoms of breast cancerhad higher belief scores.