Exploring  the Awareness of Mammographic Screening for Breast Cancer and Identifying Barriers to Refrain from Screening:  Mini Review of the Literature

Abstract

One of the most important factors to be addressed regarding breast cancer (BC) mortality and morbidity is the identification of BC at a late stage due to a lack of awareness of early detection methods of BC. Mammography can be emphasized as a foremost vital facet in the early detection of breast cancer as a screening tool. A mini review of the literature was performed to explore the concepts of awareness of screening mammography for breast cancer under three main aspects. There, the knowledge, attitude, and practice of women in mammographic screening were focused meanwhile identifying the common barriers for women to refrain from undergoing mammographic screening for breast cancer. The studies included various categories of participants especially subcategorized under their personal history or demographic characteristics. Therefore, the correlation of these factors with their awareness level has also been focused. Further, the barriers to screening mammography encountered by women were included. Therefore, this mini-review highlights the different levels of awareness of mammographic screening among females and the common reasons for avoiding screening. It concludes the benefit of bringing the knowledge of females to a considerably positive juncture by utilizing escalating awareness programs, hence minimizing the common causes of refraining from screening mammography.