Assessment of breast self-examination among women attending al Shirqat hospital regarding the knowledge ,attitudes and practices

Introduction: Breast cancer is prevalent malignancy affecting women globally, with Iraq facing a significant burnden. Breast self-examination is a vital, cost-effective method for early detection ,yet its practice remains low, particularly in developing countries, therefore; this study aimed to identify the knowledge, attitude, and practice of females attending the surgical unit in al Shirqat hospital-Salahdeen on breast self-examination. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st October 2024 to 1st April 2025, involving 217 randomly selected female attending in the surgical outpatient clinic in al Shirqat hospital-Salahdeen governorate. Data was collected using a designed questionaire which composed of demographic characteristics of women Knowledge of women about breast self-examination were assessed by score system practice women about breast self-examination were assessed by score system .Use of health belief model (HBM) to collect data about women's perception to breast self-examination and data and analyzed using SPSS version. Results: The study revealed that the majority of participants (86%) had unsatisfactory knowledge of breast self-examination, and (68%) demonstrated a positive attitude towards breast self-examination. However (78%) exhibited poor breast self - examination practice. Significant association were found between ages, marital status, education level, family history of breast cancer and the levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast self-examination. Conclusion: The study underscores the necessity of educational programs and health interventions to enhance knowledge and promote regular breast self- examination practice among women, which could lead to earlier detection of breast cancer and potentially improves outcomes.