Demographic variables affecting participation in mammography screening: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women. There are three commonly used diagnostic methods in this cancer type, in which the survival rate can be quite high with early diagnosis. Compared to breast self-examination and clinical examination, mammography stands out as a more accurate diagnostic method. Although there are health policies regarding mammography screening in many countries, mammography screening behavior has not reached the desired level worldwide. In this study, we tried to reveal the demographic factors affecting the frequency of women getting mammograms in Turkey. The frequency of mammography screening was estimated with a generalized logit model using the microdata of TURKSTAT Turkey Health Survey. As a result of the model, it was observed that mammography screening differentiated in different age and income groups. It was determined that the disease status increased the frequency of mammography screening, however, marital status and employment status did not have a significant effect.