Table 3 Subgroup analysis of the prevalence of breast self-examination practice in Africa

Sub region

West Africa

25

58.87(48.06, 69.27)

99.05

<  0.001

East Africa

22

32.18 (23.74, 41.24)

98.61

<  0.001

North Africa

5

32.63(12.09, 57.46)

99.02

<  0.001

Central Africa

3

44.87(32.50, 57.57)

–

–

South Africa

1

5.33 (2.73,10.17)

–

–

Study participant

Health professional

10

63.33(48.62, 76.88)

98.56

<  0.001

Non health professionals

46

39.81(31.85, 48.06)

99.12

<  0.001

Study setting

Institutional based

43

48.39(39.39,57.44)

99.16

<  0.001

Community based

13

29.95(21.53, 39.11)

97.85

< 0.001

Publication Period

2000–2005

3

50.50(8.05, 92.48)

–

–

2006–2010

8

61.42(45.28, 76.39)

98.28

<  0.001

2011–2015

22

38.58(27.39, 50.42)

98.88

<  0.001

2016–2020

23

42.34 (30.75, 54.37)

99.29

<  0.001

Risk of bias

Low

41

43.20(34.53, 52.08)

99.19

<  0.001

Moderate

11

43.26 (26.29, 61.07)

98.95

<  0.001

High

4

54.30 (42.62,65.75)

92.04

<  0.001

Place of residence

Urban

40

48.55(39.20,57.95)

99.18

<  0.001

Rural

12

34.25(23.60, 45.75)

98.36

<  0.001

Mixed

4

28.78(15.04, 44.86)

97.15

<  0.001

Total

56

44.0% (36.63, 51.50)

99.10

<  0.001