Age-dependent impact of breast cancer risk perception on mammography screening behavior in Brazilian women

Abstract

Background: Previous studies suggest that education and income affect Brazilian women’s breast cancer prevention behavior. The present study focused on the impact of perceived risk on mammography screening behavior. Methods: Information regarding socioeconomic variables and risk perception was obtained from 396 healthy women aged 40 - 79 years. Absolute and comparative perceived risk was measured on a seven-point Likert scale. Perceived numeric risk was measured on a percentage scale A Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool of five-year and lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer was used to estimate real risk. Regression analysis was applied to determine odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95%CI) of independent variables. Results: Women without family history, aged 40 - 49 years and ≥ 50 years, had a 5.777 (95%CI: 2.261- 14.764) and 9.239 (95%CI: 4.028- 21.194) higher chance, respectively, of having low perceived absolute risk (p = 0.000). Regression modelling revealed that women aged between 40 and 49 years with low perceived absolute risk and low educational level, performed regular mammography screening about 2.7 (OR = 0.377; 95%CI: 0.143-0.989; p = 0.037 and OR = 0.368; 95%CI: 0.100-1.360; p = 0.040) times less often, compared to those ones with high risk perception and high educational level. Education was the only significant variable for women aged ≥ 50 years (p = 0.021): Women with low educational level underwent annual and biannual mammography about 3.5 (OR = 0.289; 95%CI: 0.035- 2.363) and 23.3 (OR = 0.043; 95%CI: 0.004- 0.420) times less often, respectively, than did women with high education level. Overestimation of numeric and comparative perceived risk, respectively, indicated a negative association with participation in mammography screening (p = 0.021; p = 0.017). Conclusions: Perception of absolute risk depended on family history. The effect of risk perception on mammography screening was age group-dependent, particularly for women aged 40 - 49 years, whereas for women aged ≥ 50 years, educational level had a more prominent effect. Overestimation of risk was not positively associated with increased adherence on mammography screening.

How Do Healthy Women Perceive the Risk of Breast Cancer? The Role of Illness Perceptions and Compared Risk between Portugal and the U.A.E

“…The present data indicated that a family history of breast cancer is associated with individual and comparative risk perception. This is consistent with previous research [46], in which family history shows an increased risk perception. However, the Emirati students with a family history of BC showed a lower perceived individual and compared risk than the Portuguese.…”