WOMEN'S DELAY IN REPORTING BREAST CANCER TO HOSPITALS: A PERCEPTION BY FEMALE STUDENTS OF SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN KOGI STATE, NORTH-CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

Breast cancer in women is a major public health problem in Nigeria. The reason for the increase in breast cancer in Nigeria is based on the delays by women, who suffer this ailment, in reporting to their health providers. This cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out to identify reasons for women's delays in reporting to hospitals. The survey relied on the perceptionof 694 female students in four purposively selected tertiary educational institutions in Kogi State, North-central Nigeria. Data were gathered through a structured self-administered questionnaires designed by the researcher and complemented with an indepth interview schedule. Simple percentage counts were used to analyse the socio-demographic data and the research questions. Findings from the study revealed that, majority (88.3%) of our respondents were aware of breast cancer, with majority who received their information from the mass media (32.6 %) and health care professionals (20.6%); only 5.9 % knew that the disesease's aetiology is idiopathic, and more than half (51.2 %) and 21.6 % respectively, perceieved ignorance and fear of getting the disease as the major reasons for breast cancer late presentation by women to hospitals. The study revealsthat late presentation of breast cancer is a function of poor knowledge about the disease. Therefore, it is recommended that more aggressive campaingns be put in place by the various governments in Nigeria to enlighten the public, especially, women on the danger of late reporting of breast cancer symptoms. More so, health educators should endeavour to adequately inform women about their breast health at all times.