Samia Yunas1, Malik Muhammad Makki2, Saba Yunas3. 1Emirates Specialty Hospital, Dubai, 2Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Ajman, UAE, 3Dublin
INTRODUCTION: American Cancer society indicates 100% Breast Cancer survival rate for early disease. Despite improvement in screening and treatment of Breast Carcinoma, SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology & End Result Program) data from 2009-2013 shows new Breast cancer cases were 12.5 per 100,000 women/year and the deaths were 21.5 per 1000 women/year. The estimated cost was calculated as 180 billion dollars.
Literacy has a profound impact on understanding disease process and outcome. Being educated, does not mean health literate. In 2003 NAAL, studied that only 12 percent of adult demonstrate Proficient health literacy in United States. An individual’s health literacy may be worse than his general literacy.
Low health literacy leads to lack of screening, advanced stage at diagnosis, decreased acceptance and poor compliance with treatment. It ends with worse mortality and morbidity outcome.
MATERIAL & METHODS: Our cross sectional study enrolled 100 histopathologically proven breast carcinoma patients. Different variables included patient’s education level, duration of symptoms, clinical stage on first clinical visit and TNM classification.
RESULT: Total of 22 % patients presented in stage-1 while 12% in advance metastasis. Patient’s first healthcare advice was at 1-5 months while Speciality clinic visit was within one year. 18% of the patients finished high school and 33% were illiterature.
CONCLUSION: People with low literacy seek late medical advice and present at advance stage. Their knowledge about disease process and disease outcome was not optimal. Social, cultural and family factors were big contributors. Improved health literacy is the key to improve disease outcome & lower health cost burden.
Presented at the SAGES 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.
Abstract ID: 95507
Program Number: P615
Presentation Session: Poster Session (Non CME)
Presentation Type: Poster