“It Will Lead You to Make Better Decisions about Your Health”—A Focus Group and Survey Study on Women’s Attitudes towards Risk-Based Breast Cancer Screening and Personalised Risk Assessments

“It Will Lead You to Make Better Decisions about Your Health”—A Focus Group and Survey Study on Women’s Attitudes towards Risk-Based Breast Cancer Screening and Personalised Risk Assessments

Current Oncology

10.3390/curroncol29120719

http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/curroncol29120719

Jonathan Jun Kit Liow, Zi Lin Lim, Tomiko Mei Ying Sim, Peh Joo Ho, Su-Ann Goh, Sheen Dian Choy, Ying Jia Chew, Benita Kiat-Tee Tan, Veronique Kiak Mien Tan, Mikael Hartman, Keri McCrickerd, Jingmei Li

25 November 2022

Liow, J. J. K., Lim, Z. L., Sim, T. M. Y., Ho, P. J., Goh, S.-A., Choy, S. D., Chew, Y. J., Tan, B. K.-T., Tan, V. K. M., Hartman, M., McCrickerd, K., & Li, J. (2022). “It Will Lead You to Make Better Decisions about Your Health”—A Focus Group and Survey Study on Women’s Attitudes towards Risk-Based Breast Cancer Screening and Personalised Risk Assessments. Current Oncology, 29(12), 9181–9198. https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol29120719

Singapore launched a population-based organised mammography screening (MAM) programme in 2002. However, uptake is low. A better understanding of breast cancer (BC) risk factors has generated interest in shifting from a one-size-fits-all to a risk-based screening approach. However, public acceptability of the change is lacking. Focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with 54 women (median age 37.5 years) with no BC history. Eight online sessions were transcribed, coded, and thematically analysed. Additionally, we surveyed 993 participants in a risk-based MAM study on how they felt in anticipation of receiving their risk profiles. Attitudes towards MAM (e.g., fear, low perceived risk) have remained unchanged for ~25 years. However, FGD participants reported that they would be more likely to attend routine mammography after having their BC risks assessed, despite uncertainty and concerns about risk-based screening. This insight was reinforced by the survey participants reporting more positive than negative feelings before receiving their risk reports. There is enthusiasm in knowing personal disease risk but concerns about the level of support for individuals learning they are at higher risk for breast cancer. Our results support the empowering of Singaporean women with personal health information to improve MAM uptake.

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - Social Sciences Innovation Seed Fund
Grant Reference no. : C211618001

This research / project is supported by the JurongHealth - BREATHE
Grant Reference no. : JHF-20-RE-003

This research / project is supported by the PRECISION Health Research, Singapore - Clinical Implementation Pilot (PRECISE CIP) Fund
Grant Reference no. : N.A

This research / project is supported by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health - Research Seed Funding - Breast Cancer Prevention Programme
Grant Reference no. : SSHSPH-Res-Prog-BCPP

This research / project is supported by the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine - Breast Cancer Screening Prevention Programme
Grant Reference no. : NUHSRO/2020/121/BCSPP/LOA

This research / project is supported by the National Medical Research Council - Clinician Scientist Award - Senior Investigator Category
Grant Reference no. : NMRC/CSA-SI/0015/2017

This research / project is supported by the National University Cancer Institute Singapore (NCIS) - Centre Grant Programme
Grant Reference no. : CGAug16M005

This research / project is supported by the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital - Collaborative grant
Grant Reference no. : CGAug16C00

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/18885

1718-7729

Genome Institute of Singapore