CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Breast cancer is the most common diagnosed cancer in women globally and the second most common cancer in the world. (Azenha, Bass, Caleffi, Smith, Pretorius, Durstine and Perez, 2011; Parkin, Bray, Ferlay and Pisani, 2005; Okobia, Bunker, Okonofua, and Osime, 2006) Its attacks on women is reported to be three times higher in developed parts of the world than in less developed parts, but the death toll is greater in less developed regions (Azenha et al, 2011), It is however a cancer that originates from breast tissue; hence it is regarded as a cancer of the glandular tissue of the breast.

Though the disease is confirmed to be found both in male and female patients, yet the incidence is hundred times more in women than in men. (Russel 2007). Breast cancer is therefore a proliferation of breast cells that is characterized by an abnormal growth and division of the cells to the destruction of the surrounding tissues through the filtration of the cancerous cells into the blood stream (Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, 2011).

However, breast cancer is mostly detected by a painless lump or mass of tissues called tumors, with genetic mutations and age, among the risk factor. (Blugs, Cummings, Spencer, and Palladino, 2009). Historically, according to Russel (2007) breast cancer may be one of the oldest known forms of cancerous tumors in women in Egypt and it dates back to approximately 1600BC. It was first noted and recorded as tumors or ulcers of the breast.

During that time, Edwin, Papyrus described eight cases of tumors or ulcers of the breast that were treated by cauterization as ‘there is no treatment’ However, Breast cancer is mostly detected by a painless lump or mass of tissues called tumors (Blugs, Cummings, Spencer and Palladino, 2009 and Okobia, Bunker, Okonofua and Osime, 2006).

The cancer cells usually start either in the cells of the lobules or the ducts. The lobules are the milk-producing glands while the ducts are the passages where the produced milk is collected from, to the nipples. The cancerous cells can also develop into the stomal tissues such as the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast, though this occurrence is not common and Blugs, Cummings, spencer ε Palladino, 2009) However according to Breast Cancer.Org, (2009) there are different stages of breast cancer that explicitly show how far the cancer cells have metastasized or spread beyond the original tumor.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Cancer is one of the deadly diseases that have threatened the world. The increase in the attacks and deaths of women with breast cancer poses a pertinent question on the effect of breast cancer campaigns on women as regards the poor responses to early presentation of breast cancer.

It is in view of the above and given the confirmation of American cancer society that breast cancer deaths remain preventable at the early stage, that the researcher critically evaluated the effectiveness of the media campaign programmes on breast cancer, in causing a quick and prompt positive changes of the women in performing their BSE (Breat self examination) and CBE (clinical breast examination) for the reduction in their mortality rate. Finally, several researches has been carried out on the effect of media on breast cancer campaign in Edo state but not even a single research has been carried out on the knowledge, attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university towards breast cancer media awareness campaign.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

        The main aim of the study is to examine the knowledge attitude and practice of female undergraduate student of crescent university towards breast cancer media awareness campaign. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the effect of knowledge attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university on breast cancer media awareness campaign.
2. to determine the factors affecting the knowledge, attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university and its effect on breast cancer media awareness campaign.
3. to determine the extent to which female undergraduate student’s knowledge, attitude and practice affects breast cancer media awareness campaign.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS               

1. What is the effect of knowledge attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university on breast cancer media awareness campaign?
2. What are the factors affecting the knowledge, attitude and practice of female undergraduate students and its effect on breast cancer media awareness campaign?
3. What is the extent to which female undergraduate student’s knowledge, attitude and practice affects breast cancer media awareness campaign?  
4. What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0:   Knowledge, attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university has no significant effect on media awareness of breast cancer campaign.

H1:      Knowledge, attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university has a significant effect on media awareness of breast cancer campaign.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

        The main aim of the study is to determine the knowledge attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university towards breast cancer media awareness campaign will be of immense benefit in the sense that it will contribute to the articulation of the media campaign role in solving the problem of breast cancer; it will also enable the women to through the media advertisement and awareness creation to check themselves time after time in case of any early forms of symptoms of breast cancer. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.7   SCOPE OF STUDY

The study on the knowledge attitude and practice of female undergraduate students of crescent university is limited to breast cancer media awareness campaign.

1.8   LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Knowledge      Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Attitude  A settled way of thinking or feeling about something.

Practice  The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.

Female    A woman or a girl

Undergraduate                A student who is studying for their first degree at a college or university

Student   Is primarily a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution who attends classes in a course to attain the appropriate level of mastery of a subject under the guidance of an instructor and who devotes time outside class to do whatever activities the instructor assigns that are necessary either for class preparation or to submit evidence of progress towards that mastery.

Cancer     It is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.

Breast     The is one of two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso of primates. In females, it serves as the mammary gland, which produces.

Media Awareness Campaigns         Media campaigns are intensive and organized form of persuasive communication sponsored by an authority and packaged in the form of jingles, commercials, press release, articles, news stories, and dramas and so on. These are published or disseminated through the various mass media like newspaper, radio, television or internet, to the different targeted audiences, with the mind to sensitize and mobilize the people into action or towards a desired goal.