Breast Self-Examination Practice Among Women in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Breast self-examination is one of the cheapest screening methods for early detection of breast cancer which can be performed by women in privacy, and in their own schedule. Despite being simple, quick, and cost-free, the practice of breast self-examination is low. The study was carried out to assess the practice of breast self-examination among women of childbearing age in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the practice of breast self-examination among women of childbearing age in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia in March 2018. Seven hundred and twenty-four women of childbearing age were selected by multistage sampling methods. They were interviewed using structured questionnaire and standardized scale. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to see crude association between each independent variable and outcome variable. Logistic regression was used for analysis on the basis of OR, 95% CI and a P value of less than 0. 05. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-six respondents participated in the study giving 94.7% of response rate. Only 15% of them practiced breast self-examination. Respondents age (AOR = 2.07/1.14, 3.74/0.01), occupation (AOR=3.93/1.49, 10.35/0.00), family history of breast cancer (AOR=4.16/2.35, 7.36/0.00) and monthly income (AOR= 5.57/1.55, 19.92/0.00) are significantly associated with women’s practice of breast self-examination at a P-value less than 0.05. CONCLUSION: The practice of breast self-examination is very low. Respondent age, occupation, family history of breast cancer, and monthly income are significantly associated with the women’s practice of breast self-examination.