Addae-Korankye (2016) [20]
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Tamale metropolis, Northern region
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To assess the extent of awareness or knowledge of
breast cancer among women in Tamale metropolis in Ghana.
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Quantitative study
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120 women aged 18 years and above
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Participants believe the causes of breast cancer are curses or punishment by gods for sins committed, hereditary, dietary or lifestyle, stress/trauma, and infections.
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Agbokey (2014)[21]
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Kumasi, Ashanti region
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1. To explore breast cancer patient’s beliefs about the causes of breast cancer.
2. To document the various sources of care that breast cancer patients resort to in seeking health care for breast cancer.
3. To document reasons for delayed medical care for breast cancer.
4. To explore the sources of information about treatment options for breast cancer.
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Qualitative study
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The total respondents were 35: Breast Cancer patients (20), Health workers (5), Caregivers (8), Herbalists (2)
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Respondents perceived breast cancer to be an extremely dangerous, terrible, and fatal disease which spreads extremely fast and kills instantly. A punishment from the ancestors and the gods for refusal to give birth and continue the human race. spiritual babies to suckle their breasts to give breast cancer. BC is caused by witches, insect (spider) bites, and men's frequent sucking of women ‘s breasts. Heredity and lifestyles such as eating fatty foods as predisposing to breast cancer. Herbs can cure disease. The monies kept by the breast as well as keeping phones on the breast are all pathways to or causes of getting breast cancer
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Agbokey (2019)[22]
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Komfo Anokye
Teaching Hospital, Ashanti region.
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To explore the health
seeking behavior of BC patients and their knowledge of BC
in a breast cancer management
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Qualitative study
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35 respondents: Breast Cancer patients (20), Health workers (5), Caregivers (8), Herbalists (2)
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Perceived that BC is a punishment meted out by their ancestors or their gods for not having children to save the human race from extinction. Attributed BC condition to a spider bite that led to itching around the nipple and nipple discharge. Likened the growth of BC to that of uterine fibroid.
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Asobayire (2015)[23]
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Kassena-Nankana district,
Upper East region.
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To ascertain how societal perceptions
and attitudes influence women’s awareness of breast cancer.
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Qualitative study
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10 participants: 6 farmers, 2 traders, and 2 teachers.
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Participants commonly thought that when a woman is unable to breastfeed after giving birth, this can lead to a swollen breast or ‘ngwoom pongwa’ (a boil in the breast).
Large breast sizes have the propensity to be at risk of developing long-term breast cancer. Participants perceived that breast cancer is a mere lump or boil. Breast cancer is often viewed as a kind of punishment
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Asoogo (2015)[24]
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A tertiary hospital in Kumasi, Ashanti region.
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To describe the factors which contribute to the late presentation of Ghanaian women with breast cancer for health care at a tertiary hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.
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Qualitative study
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30 breast cancer patients
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We contacted a traditional healer and prayed to the ancestors for traditional medicines to work. Women went to prayer camp for almost the whole year for spiritual healing. Participants were taken to traditional doctors.
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Azumah (2017)[25]
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Asokore in the Sekyere East District in the Ashanti Region
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To examine the community knowledge, perception, and attitude toward breast cancer in Asokore in the Sekyere East District
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Quantitative study
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Participants were 97 women.
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The majority of the respondents perceived that they do not have any risk factors for breast cancer 25.8% (25) of the respondents felt that breast cancer is a curable disease,
54.6% (53) of the respondents felt that breast cancer is not a curable disease and 19.6% of the respondents could not tell whether breast cancer was a curable disease or not. The majority of the respondents felt that breast cancer was not a curable disease. The respondents have the perception that once a women contract breast cancer, it cannot be cured.
The majority of the respondents indicated that they will not see a male doctor examine their breasts in case of breast cancer. Women in the study area do not believe that breast cancer occurs or more commonly occurs among women of old age.
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Boafo (2020)[26]
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University of Ghana, located
in Accra, the capital of Ghana
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To explored the
knowledge levels and health beliefs of university students
on breast cancer and BSE, explored the prevalence of BSE
among university students, and examined the predictors of
BSE among university students in Ghana
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Quantitative study
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308 female nonmedical students at the University of Ghana.
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43.4% of the university students sampled erroneously believed that breast cancer can be caused by a man sucking a woman’s breasts. Participants had moderate knowledge of breast cancer.
A substantial proportion of them (68%) believed that younger women of their ages do not get cancer.
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Bonsu (2019)[27]
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Komfo Anokye Teaching
Hospital, Kumasi Ahanti region
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To explore the reasons for delayed presentation in
Ghanaian women with breast cancer.
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Qualitative study
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11 advanced breast cancer patients (30 to 70years)
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God’s punishment and spiritual
attacks because of specific actions such as extramarital immoral life.
Believed the cause of the disease was an attack by a family member through supernatural power intended to destroy or kill her.
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Dadzi (2019)[28]
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Akatsi South District of the Volta region.
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To examine awareness and knowledge of breast self-examination
as well as the practice of breast self-examination among rural women.
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Quantitative study
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Participants: 385 women
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177(46.1%) of the participants
believed breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Participants mentioned that family history and women who did not breastfeed, contraceptive use, being a woman, and obesity or overweight are risk factors for breast cancer. Participants believed breast cancer is curable if detected early. Other participants believed that breast cancer is not curable but can be controlled.
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Iddrisu (2021)[29]
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University of Ghana hospital, 37 Military hospital, and Ridge
Hospital. Greater Accra
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To explore the socioeconomic impact of breast cancer
on young women in Ghana
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Qualitative study
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12 breast cancer patients
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A dangerous disease, that kills faster.
Cancer deadly, Evil disease, and a test from God. Contagious disease and very transmissible
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Kugbey (2020)[30]
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Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Department of the Korle-Bu
Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Ghana, West
Africa
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To explore illness perception and coping strategies used by women living with breast cancer in Ghana
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Qualitative study
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11 women were
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A substantial number of the women stated that they did not know what causes breast cancer, others mentioned supernatural forces, physiology, and stress as the probable causes of their illness. Most of participants believed that their disease can be completely cured, and this belief was rooted in their faith in God and the medical treatments.
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Opoku et al., (2012)[31]
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Two Ghanaian cities, Accra and Sunyani
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To determine population-based rates of reported breast cancer screening and assess breast cancer-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs among Ghanaian women and explore their relation to screening practices in the study areas
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Quantitative study
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500 women
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A prominent misconception held by 20% of the respondents was to the effect that coins put in the brassieres can increase a woman's risk for the disease. Respondents' attitudes towards the disease include fear which was linked to death in most cases; denial and guilt; as well as the spiritual and
supernatural attributes of the disease.
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Osei et al., (2021)[32]
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University
of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) of Ghana, Volta region
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To explore the perceived risk of breast cancer among female undergraduate students in Ghana and to examine factors associated with perceived risk.
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Quantitative study
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385 female undergraduate students
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Breast perceived risks found in the study are advancing age, knowledge of someone with breast cancer, family history of breast cancer, history of breast cancer screening, intention to perform breast self-examination
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Osei-afriyie (2021)[33]
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University
of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Volta Region, Ghana
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To explore breast cancer awareness, selected risk factors, and screening
practices among female undergraduate students, to provide information for the control, prevention,
and preliminary treatment of the disease
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Quantitative study
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A385 students
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Family history of breast cancer, Genetics, female sex, and individual lifestyle were the most frequently perceived risk factors for breast cancer. Putting money in the brassiere was perceived as a potential risk factor for breast cancer by more than a third of the respondence.
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Salisu (2022)[34]
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Tamale Teaching Hospital, Northern region
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To explore how breast cancer patients’ personal beliefs and ideas influence their decision to refuse medical treatment.
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Qualitative study
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13 breast cancer patients
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Women taken to traditional healers for breast cancer treatment and the women had so much faith in the traditional healer. Women believed that their cancers were spiritual attacks from neighbors and needed to be cast out. Some women believed that it was their destiny to have breast cancer
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