Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Breast Self-Examination and Breast Cancer Risk Factors among Female Medical Students at the University of Benghazi
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women globally and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Libya, where late-stage diagnosis remains prevalent. Breast self-examination (BSE) is a low-cost, accessible screening tool particularly valuable in resource-limited settings. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of BSE, as well as awareness of BC symptoms, risk factors, and protective factors among female medical students at the University of Benghazi. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 422 undergraduate female medical students during the academic year 2023. Data were collected using a pre-coded self-administered questionnaire based on validated tools. Knowledge of BSE was assessed on a 9-item scale and was categorized as adequate (≥75%), moderate (50-74%), and poor (<50%). Attitudes and practices were assessed through direct questions. The associations between sociodemographic variables and outcomes were analyzed using chi-square tests. The mean age was 24.5 ± 3.1 years. Only 26.1% of participants had adequate knowledge of BSE, 49.1% had moderate knowledge, and 24.9% had poor knowledge. Most of the participants (80.5%) had a positive attitude towards BSE, but only 18.2% reported doing BSE regularly (monthly). Regular practice was significantly associated with older age (χ²(3) = 21.87, p < 0.001), clinical academic year (χ²(1) = 18.77, p < 0.001), and marital status (χ²(1) = 6.05, p = 0.014), but not with family history of BC (p = 0.245). BC symptoms and known risk factors were generally well known, while some protective and risk factors were misperceived. Conclusion: Although attitudes are positive and awareness is moderate, female medical students in Benghazi have poor knowledge and practice of BSE. We recommend that structured and practical BSE training be incorporated into the pre-clinical medical curriculum to bridge the knowledge-practice gap and train future physicians to be advocates of early detection.