Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Among Arab Females in the Middle East: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers in Arab countries. Lack of knowledge and awareness regarding breast cancer screening has increased the breast cancer-related morbidity and mortality.

PURPOSE: This literature review aimed to assess published research papers with a focus on the levels of knowledge, attitude, practice, and barriers of women in Arab countries of the Middle East toward breast cancer and its screening.

METHOD: SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar were searched using specific terms for relevant, quantitative, original studies published between 2017 and 2022. All English articles that matched the inclusion criteria were included in this review. Fourteen studies focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and barriers regarding breast cancer were included. Two independent reviewers performed screening and extraction.

RESULTS

Among the reviewed studies, a range from 19.6% in Oman to 67% in Saudi Arabia had poor knowledge of breast cancer. Past personal or family history was a well-recognized risk factor (n = 5), and being worried about the results was the most common barrier to screening. Although most women were aware of screening methods, the majority did not practice screening. Social media and the internet were the most used sources of information used by women to obtain knowledge regarding breast cancer and its screening (n = 6).

CONCLUSION

Most of the Arab female population had low levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding breast cancer and its screening. Programs designed to raise awareness are necessary, and more policy changes must take place on the national level in Arab, Middle Eastern countries to address the low knowledge, the negative attitudes, and the limited access to breast cancer screening.