Understanding Breast Cancer: Awareness, Risk Factors, and Symptoms Among Female Health Science Students in Hungary

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm among women worldwide, and its early detection is crucial for improving survival rates. The aim of our research was to assess the knowledge of health science students regarding breast cancer, with a particular focus on risk factors and symptoms, and to examine their associations with demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 251 female health science students at the University of Pécs. For statistical analysis, we used the Chi-square test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation. Results: Students were most familiar with the symptoms of breast cancer (59.0%), while knowledge of non-modifiable (44.1%) and lifestyle-related (49.8%) risk factors was found to be lower. Third-year students (H = 15.892; p < 0.001), those with better financial status (H = 11.091; p = 0.011), physically active individuals (U = 6535.0; p = 0.020), and those who regularly performed breast self-examinations (U = 5356.0; p = 0.027) achieved significantly higher scores. Knowledge levels also varied by field of study (H = 18.203; p = 0.033); students in dietetics and paramedicine stood out with higher results. The majority of students (57.8%) had a moderate level of knowledge, while only 21.9% reached a high level. Surprisingly, the frequency of breast self-examination showed a weak but significant negative correlation with overall knowledge (ρ = -0.155; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Students' knowledge requires improvement, particularly regarding risk factors. Targeted education and encouragement of breast self-examination could enhance students' preparedness, thereby contributing to more effective prevention and early detection.