Women's Health Consciousness and Attitude Towards Breast Cancer Screening in Rural Punjab, India: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ludhiana District.

Breast cancer has become more common in developing countries like India and is the most common cancer among women globally. Even though screening greatly increases survival, poor participation rates are still seen in rural areas. The purpose of this cross-sectional study, which was carried out in Lalton Kalan village, Punjab, was to provide insight into how sociodemographic traits affected the health consciousness and attitudes of 203 women who were 30 years of age and older regarding breast cancer screening. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire that utilized the Health Consciousness Scale (HCS) and the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening (ASCS). Both HCS and ASCS scores were found to be significantly impacted by age, education, marital status, occupation, and socioeconomic status. A positive correlation was established between screening attitudes and health consciousness (r = 0.441, t(201) = 6.96, p < 0.001). These results demonstrate the potential value of enhancing health education and incorporating breast cancer awareness into national health programs for disadvantaged rural populations.