Background: Breast cancer (BC) continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Early detection and treatment of BC increases the chances of survival. According to Breast Health Global Initiative guidelines for low and middle income countries, diagnosing BC early by promoting breast self‑awareness, clinical breast examination (CBE) and resource adapted mammographic screening will reduce BC mortality.

Methodology: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted in semi-urban area of District Srinagar. Women of reproductive age group (25- 45 years) were interviewed after taking their consent. A total of 189 women were interviewed using a pre-structured questionnaire.

Results:  In our study, majority of women were in the age group of 31-35 years (32.8%), illiterate (37.5%), belonging to joint families (70.1%) and married (75.1%). 53.4% women had heard about BC, 58.4% women had heard about BSE and 8.5% women had ever practiced BSE.

Conclusion: Overall the knowledge, awareness and practices were poor among the women interviewed. There is a need for imparting awareness regarding the preventability and early detection of breast cancer through breast self-examination and thus indirectly decreasing the morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Breast self-examination, Knowledge, Awareness, Practice.

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Dr Mohsina Mukhtar

Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India