TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTION

This study assessed the awareness, perception, and utilization of genetic counsellingforbreast cancer among relatives of patients with cancer in the University of Benin TeachingHospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State. Genetic counselling plays a vital role in identifyingindividuals at risk of hereditary breast cancer and in promoting preventive and early detectionstrategies. However, limited awareness and accessibility hinder its utilization in manylowresource settings, including Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 169 participants who were relativesofcancer patients attending the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Astructuredquestionnaire was used for data collection, and 163 properly completed questionnaires wereanalyzed, representing a 96.5% response rate. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 and presented in frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and chi-square tests. Findings revealed that the majorityofrespondents (64%) had a poor level of awareness of genetic counselling for breast cancer, while 61% exhibited negative perceptions toward it. The level of utilization was alsolow, with 77% of participants reporting that they had never accessed or engaged ingeneticcounselling services. Major barriers identified included high cost (82.8%), lack of awareness(81.6%), limited availability of trained professionals, cultural and religious beliefs, andpoorinstitutional support. Hypothesis testing showed a significant relationship between awarenessand perception (p = 0.012) and between perception and utilization (p = 0.01). The studyconcluded that awareness, perception, and utilization of genetic counselling for breast canceramong relatives of cancer patients remain low due to informational, financial, and systemicbarriers. It was recommended that government and health institutions intensifypubliceducation, subsidize counselling costs, train healthcare providers especially nurses ingeneticcounselling, and integrate genetic services into routine cancer care to improve accessibilityand uptake.