"It's about our bodies… we have the right to know this stuff": A qualitative focus group study on Australian women's perspectives on breast density

Brooke Nickel; Hankiz Dolan; Stacy Carter; Nehmat Houssami; Meagan Brennan; Jolyn Hersch; Angela Verde; Lisa Vaccaro; Kirsten McCaffery

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.026

"It's about our bodies… we have the right to know this stuff": A qualitative focus group study on Australian women's perspectives on breast density

Patient Educ Couns. 2022 Mar;105(3):632-640. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.026. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

Authors

Brooke Nickel¹, Hankiz Dolan², Stacy Carter³, Nehmat Houssami⁴, Meagan Brennan⁵, Jolyn Hersch², Angela Verde⁶, Lisa Vaccaro⁷, Kirsten McCaffery²

Affiliations

¹ Wiser Healthcare, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: brooke.nickel@sydney.edu.au.
² Wiser Healthcare, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
³ Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values, School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Wiser Healthcare, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ University of Notre Dame Australia, School of Medicine Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
⁶ Breast Cancer Network Australia, Australia.
⁷ Health Consumers New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 34238650
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.026

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore Australian women's current knowledge, perspectives and attitudes about breast density (BD); and information needs to inform effective evidence-based communication strategies.

Methods: Fourteen online focus group sessions with a total of 78 women in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia aged 40-74 years without a personal diagnosis of breast cancer were conducted. Audio-recorded data was transcribed and analysed thematically.

Results: Women had a very limited knowledge of BD. Overall, women expressed a preference for more frequent mammograms and/or supplemental screening should they be told they had dense breasts, despite being presented with information on potential downsides of additional testing. The majority of women were supportive of the notion of BD notification, often suggesting they had a 'right to know' and they would prefer to be educated and informed about it.

Conclusion: The potential of being informed and notified of BD is found to be of interest and importance to Australian women of breast screening age despite lacking current knowledge.

Practice implications: This study highlights that policy makers and screening services need to consider how to weigh up these views and preferences of women with current evidence surrounding BD in deciding about implementing population-based BD notification.

Keywords: Breast density; Communication; Mammography; Qualitative; Women’s health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Australia
Breast Density*
Breast Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Early Detection of Cancer
Female
Focus Groups
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Mammography
Middle Aged