Abstract
Background:Breast cancer (BC) is a public health problem that affects many populations worldwide. Women’s health care behavior, including seeking mammography screening, might be affected by men, especially in conservative Arab societies. Few studies have investigated men’s behavior toward mammography for female relatives. The main aims of this study were (i) to evaluate men’s knowledge about mammography screening and (ii) to assess men’s behavior toward women regarding mammogram screening and the factors influencing their behavior. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among male residents of the five main geographic areas of Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained with a self-administered questionnaire. In addition to sociodemographic data, the questionnaire assessed respondents’ general knowledge about mammograms, their behavior toward female family members who use mammography, and their perceptions about awareness campaigns.Results:A total of 9691 male respondents were included in the study. The majority (79%) recommended mammography to their female family members. Multiple factors were significantly associated with men recommending mammograms, including age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), employment status (P<0.01), and region (P<0.01). Only 33.8% of the participants had a high knowledge score about mammography. Approximately 45% of respondents reported that BC awareness campaigns were weak, while 48% were not aware of BC screening programs. Conclusions:Despite their positive behavior in recommending mammograms to female relatives, men exhibited a notable lack of knowledge about mammography. Establishing national programs and educational campaigns for men to explain the benefits of screening and access to free mammography are essential.
Highlights
Breast cancer (BC) is a significant public health problem that affects many populations worldwide
One-third of the respondents reported that at least one of their immediate female family members had received a mammogram (n=2844), 26% reported that their female family members had not received a mammogram, and 44% did know whether their female family members had received one or not
Approximately 44% of the subjects knew that mammograms should be performed every 1-2 years for the suitable age range, 38% recognized that the mammogram is the best method for cancer diagnosis, and only 25% recognized that the age at which women should start getting a mammogram is 40 years
Summary
Breast cancer (BC) is a significant public health problem that affects many populations worldwide. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women, with an estimated 1.67 million new cases reported in 2012 (Ferlay et al, 2015). MOH recommends that all women with a family history of BC have mammogram screening 10 years before the age of the patient with BC in the family (Saudi Ministry of Health). In addition to sociodemographic data, the questionnaire assessed respondents’ general knowledge about mammograms, their behavior toward female family members who use mammography, and their perceptions about awareness campaigns. Conclusions: Despite their positive behavior in recommending mammograms to female relatives, men exhibited a notable lack of knowledge about mammography. Establishing national programs and educational campaigns for men to explain the benefits of screening and access to free mammography are essential
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