100710 - Breast Cancer Screening Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Hospital Staff During the Pink October Campaign: A Cross-Sectional Study

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Tunisian women and the leading cause of cancer mortality. Healthcare personnel are key actors in promoting early detection, yet their knowledge and attitudes may directly impact public screening practices. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the healthcare personnel at Sahloul University Hospital of Sousse during the “Pink October” breast cancer awareness campaign.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during the breast cancer screening days held in October 2024 and 2025. A self-administered questionnaire in Arabic was distributed, covering sociodemographic and professional characteristics, knowledge of risk factors, warning signs, and breast cancer screening modalities.

A total of 162 female participants were included, with a mean age of 43.28 years. Most were senior technicians (n = 25) and nurses (n = 24). Among the respondents, 22.3% reported a family history of breast cancer and 34.4% regularly consulted a physician for screening. Nearly all participants (98%) recognized that early screening increases the likelihood of better outcomes. Although 88.7% had heard of breast self-examination, only 76.7% believed they had the necessary knowledge to perform it; in practice, 53.3% performed it occasionally and 23.3% never performed it. Regarding knowledge of screening methods, mammography was mentioned by 71.6% of participants, followed by breast self-examination in 57.4%. Social media was the main source of breast cancer information (58.6%), followed by traditional media (30.2%). Only a slight majority (60.1%) reported knowing the early signs of breast cancer. Furthermore, 66.4% incorrectly believed that the sole purpose of breast self-examination is to detect lumps. Although several warning signs were cited, the most commonly identified were thickening or swelling of part of the breast (39.5%), nipple discharge other than milk (35.8%), and axillary nodules (43.2%). Nipple retraction or pain and the appearance of visible veins on the breast skin were the least recognized signs (9.9% and 13.6%, respectively).

The findings highlight the need to improve breast cancer screening knowledge among hospital staff. Enhanced training and communication strategies are necessary to reinforce preventive practices and support greater involvement of healthcare personnel in public awareness and screening campaigns.