Utilization and Determinants of Breast Cancer Screening Practices among Female Primary Healthcare Providers in Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Breast cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer among female globally, as reported by the WHO. Given their role as health advocates, it is crucial to understand their knowledge, attitudes, and barriers towards screening for breast cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among female primary healthcare providers in Tamil Nadu using a semi-structured questionnaire. Those who have either undergone breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) or mammography is considered to have utilized breast cancer screening. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with screening utilization. Results: The proportion of female healthcare providers who had ever undergone breast cancer screening (either BSE or CBE) was 68.0% (95% CI - 63.8% - 72.0%). However, only 26.2% had ever undergone CBE (95% CI - 22.5% - 30.2%). It was found that 38.9% of female healthcare providers had good knowledge. A good attitude was significantly associated with higher screening utilization (AOR-3.72, 95% CI-2.05-6.74). Conclusion: The study revealed that the utilization of breast cancer screening particularly self-breast examination which is relatively high among female healthcare providers with relatively lower practice of Clinical breast examination in Tamil Nadu. Targeted educational efforts and streamlined screening processes are necessary to further improve engagement.