Breast Cancer Screening in Ghana

Testing Approaches to Promote Breast Cancer Screening in Rural Ghana

This study is designed to test the feasibility of two intervention on promoting early screening for breast cancer in rural Ghana. In one intervention, screening for breast cancer, diabetes and hypertension will be offered together. In another intervention, a series of sessions with men will be conducted with a goal to change gender attitudes and increase support to women. The investigators' long-term goal is to test these interventions in a large-scale randomized controlled trial. The specific aims of this feasibility study are to: 1) refine the study materials, including the curriculum for the sessions with men, by consulting with an expert advisory committee and a local committee, and 2) determine the feasibility of the two interventions in four clinic zones in Yilo-Krobo district in eastern Ghana (1 clinic in control, 1 clinic in the first intervention, and 2 in the second intervention). This trial registration is for the second specific aim.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Breast Cancer Female
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Bundling; Other: MEGH

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 118
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Ghana
  • Accra, Ghana
    • University of Ghana

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ≥20 years. The age cutoff reflects early onset of BC in Ghana and the government's guidelines on screening.

Exclusion Criteria:

• ever clinically diagnosed with a case of breast cancer, as the study's aim is to reach women who would normally not visit or have experience with the health system with regard to breast cancer.

NOTE: For men in the MEGH arm, Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria are:

Inclusion Criteria: aged ≥20 years who are identified as male partners or relatives by the women enrolled in the MEGH group.

Exclusion Criteria: none.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control; Women in this arm receive education on breast cancer and are offered clinical breast exam free of charge at their local clinic for 6 months following the education session.
Experimental: Bundling; Women in this arm receive education on breast cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, and are offered clinical breast exam and screening for diabetes and hypertension free of charge at their local clinic for 6 months following the education session.	Other: Bundling; Education on and screening for diabetes and hypertension offered together with education and screening for breast cancer.
Experimental: Male Engagement in Gender and Health (MEGH); Women in this arm receive education on breast cancer and are offered clinical breast exam free of charge at their local clinic for 6 months following the education session. In addition, women are requested to invite their male partners to attend the breast cancer education session and 7 weekly discussion group sessions (5 men-only and 2 with women). The discussion sessions aim to enable men to change gender attitudes and behaviors that deter women's healthcare utilization.	Other: MEGH; Education on breast cancer and discussion sessions to male partners to change men's gender attitudes and behaviors.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical breast exam (CBE) utilization at the local clinic	The outcome will be measured by asking participants, at endline, if they sought clinical breast exam at their local clinic during the 6-month study period. This information will be verified at the clinic level using Participation Cards, which will be provided to participants at the beginning of the 6-month period. Participants will be asked to bring the Card to the clinic when they come for screening.	6 months. Outcome is measured at endline survey at the end of the 6-month period.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Penn State University
• Collaborators: University of Ghana
• Investigators: Study Chair: Nancy Luke, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University; Study Chair: Adriana Biney, Ph.D., University of Ghana, Regional Institute for Population Studies

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 18, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 15, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 9, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 2, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 30, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Skin Diseases; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00021561

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No