Early detection of breast cancer in primary care center

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the actions for early detection of breast cancer performed by primary care nurses, according to the different configurations of primary care center. Method: Cross-sectional study, carried out in a total of 38 primary care center. The centers were selected by calculating a simple random sample; the inclusion criteria were nurses of both genders, with at least one year working in the health center. The different hypotheses considered were evaluated by a bivariate analysis in the contingency table, using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test; all tests performed considered a bidirectional α of 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval (CI). Result: Out of the 133 nurses in the study, 46.6% worked in primary care center of the Family Health Strategy, 31.6% in mixed centers and 21.8% in traditional ones. There was a better performance for the Family Health Strategy model, with statistically significant results for the following actions: investigation of risk factors (p=<0.001); orientation of the ideal age for clinical breast examination and the importance of its performance (p=0.002 and p=<0.001 respectively); educational meeting on breast cancer (p=<0.001); active search for women with suspicious medical reports (p=0.002) and referral to the health center (p=<0.001). Conclusion: The actions for early detection of breast cancer performed by nurses differ in relation to the configuration of the Primary care center, and those from the Family Health Strategy model are closer to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health.