Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Developing a community‑based breast cancer risk prediction tool for resource‑poor settings

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Divya Pillai
. Shaikh Shah Hossain 1
. Vijay Kumar Chattu 2

1 Department of Public Health, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka,

2 Department of Public Health, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract
BACKGROUND: With an estimation of every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer,
one dies. It is accounted that 1 in 28 women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
Developing a risk prediction tool by assessing the prevalence of known risk factors in the community
will help public health intervention.
METHODOLOGY: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 18–64‑year‑old women to gather
the prevalence of known breast cancer risk factors, through a community survey (sample survey). In
this multistage random number‑based cluster sampling study, the results were compiled, collated, and
analyzed in rates and proportions. Statistical conclusions were made using spreadsheets (Microsoft)
and the values were converted into ordinal values using modified Likert scale and median was used
to estimate central values. The estimated prevalence of these known risk factors was re‑assorted for
analysis and these re‑assorted data were categorized into range of values across the communities.
The internal validity of the survey questionnaire was measured using Cronbach’s alpha (α).
RESULTS: The analysis of 558 participants was performed for the known risk factors for breast cancer
including participant’s age, age at menarche, marriage, first childbirth, menopause, family history of
breast cancer and benign breast disease, history of abortion, and body mass index. Based on the
estimated prevalence of these risk factors, a community‑based risk prediction tool was developed
with Cronbach’s α score of medium internal validity.
CONCLUSIONS: The risk assessment tool has collated most of the risk factors of breast cancer
that are capable of being measured at community level. The survey findings concluded that the
community under survey was bearing moderate risk for breast cancer for women.

Keywords

BRCA1
breast cancer
cluster sampling
Gail Model
risk assessment tool
risk factors
screening
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 9, Issue 6
June 2019
Pages 1-5

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