Publication: Breast cancer prevention awareness and screening barriers among women attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM)
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Date
2026-08
Authors
Zulkifli, Wan Nur Adila Wan
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Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and remains a major public health concern in Malaysia. Early detection and awareness of preventive measures are important for reducing morbidity and mortality, yet many women still face barriers to screening. This study aimed to assess breast cancer prevention awareness, identify screening barriers, and examine the association between sociodemographic factors and both awareness and screening barriers among women attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM). A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 167 women aged 21–70 years using convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics were used to determine awareness levels and screening barriers, while Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to examine associations. The findings showed that 53.3% of respondents had good breast cancer prevention awareness, while 46.7% had poor awareness. More than half of the respondents (52.7%) experienced high screening barriers. This suggests that screening barriers remain a significant issue among the study population and may hinder the uptake of breast cancer screening, despite the availability of screening services and awareness programmes. Educational level was significantly associated with awareness (p = 0.003), while race was significantly associated with screening barriers (p = 0.012). No significant associations were found between age or marital status and the study variables (p > 0.05). In conclusion, although awareness was moderate, screening barriers remain substantial. Strengthening health education and culturally appropriate awareness programmes may improve screening uptake and promote early detection among Malaysian women.
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