Awareness about the symptoms & risk factors of ovarian cancer among women in North Urban Bengaluru: A cross-sectional study
Background & objectives
In low or medium Human Development Index (HDI) nations, late-stage ovarian cancer diagnosis in 75 per cent of women is known to hinder treatment outcomes. However, knowledge and awareness can significantly impact disease progression and outcomes. This study was conducted to determine ovarian cancer awareness, risk factors, and symptoms among women in a community-based setting.
Methods
This study was conducted in Yelahanka, North Urban Bengaluru, between October 2023 and July 2024. A validated questionnaire, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Measure (OCAM), was used to interview the women. Household data were collected through systematic sampling using the Epicollect-5 mobile application and analysed with Jamovi software version 2.3.28.
Results
A total of 375 women were interviewed during the study, of which 28.5 per cent were aware of ovarian cancer. With median scores of 4 out of 10 for symptoms and 5 out of 12 for risk factors, there was a general lack of awareness of symptoms and risk factors. Commonly identified symptoms included extreme fatigue (61.7%), pelvic pain (54.2%), abdominal enlargement (51.4%), and back pain (43.9%). The socioeconomic class was significantly associated with symptom awareness (P<0.05). On identifying risk factors of ovarian cancer, the most recognised were a history of ovarian cysts (71%), smoking (64.48%), age >50 yr (55.54%), and being overweight (47.6%). Age, marital status, education, and socioeconomic class (P<0.05) influenced awareness of risk factors.
Interpretation & conclusions
This study found low ovarian cancer awareness among women in North Urban Bengaluru, emphasising the necessity for focused awareness programmes to enhance early diagnosis and improve health outcomes.