Abstract
Background: It is important to promote breast awareness (BA) as an alternative to breast self-examination in order to improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients.
Methods: We investigated the level of comprehension for BA among participants of the organized (n=7959) and the opportunistic (n=11541) breast cancer screening. In addition, we investigated the level of comprehension for dense breast (DB) and hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer (HBOC) as knowledge necessary for optimal breast cancer screening.
Results: The overall percentages of comprehension of BA, DB and HBOC were 24, 32, and 24%, respectively. The level of comprehension of BA, DB, and HBOC was lower among participants aged <49 years compared to those aged >50 years. First-time participants were less likely to be aware of BA, DB, and HBOC than those who had screening for the second time or more. On the other hand, there was no difference in the level of comprehension of BA between organized and opportunistic screening, but the level of awareness of BD and HBOC was significantly higher in participants of opportunistic screening.
Conclusions: The level of comprehension for BA, DB and HBOC is still low in 2023. Our results indicates that screening is an important opportunity to educate something about the breast health literacy. We intend to conduct this survey and educational campaign over time to determine if those comprehension improve.