Abstract

Background: Breast cancer in women is a major health problem for women in both developed and developing countries. It is the world's second greatest cause of death in women worldwide. Recently, the global cancer statistics indicated that breast cancer incidence is rising faster among women in developing countries. Aim: The goal of this study was to determine how women's awareness of breast cancer and its risk factors influenced the prevalence of breast cancer and its risk factors among Libyan women living in the western area. Methods: This study was designed as a descriptive cross‑sectional survey. A self‑administered questionnaire was used to collect the information from the female lady. Results: The 110 women who participated in the study had an average age of 50.9 (SD 12.10; age range: 2- ≥85) years. The majority of participants (71%) were under the age of 60, with (70.5%) being unmarried, (30.5%) being Illiterate, (27.4%) having a university degree, The women surveyed had a reasonable understanding of breast cancer risk factors; (71%) of those surveyed aware that increasing age was linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, and (82%) of surveyed polled knew that late menopause is a risk factor for breast cancer. However, there was no significant association different between knowledge and demographic factors. Conclusion: The study results showed insufficient knowledge of breast cancer among women whereas. Therefore, more educational programs could be designed to provide comprehensive information of breast cancer and breast self‑examination to improve women’s knowledge, which can help in the early detection of breast cancer for the better treatment.