Oncology · General Practice · 2 h ago
Study identifies barriers to mammography screening in Bahrain
A cross-sectional study of 302 Bahraini women aged 40–74 found that 19.6% had undergone mammography within the recommended interval. A healthcare-provider invitation in the previous two years was associated with higher screening uptake, while women frequently cited believing screening was unnecessary and not receiving a physician recommendation as barriers.
- Only 19.6% reported mammography within the recommended interval.
- Provider invitations were associated with greater screening uptake.
- Believing screening unnecessary was the most common reported barrier.
- Cross-sectional findings do not establish causation.
Researchers interviewed 302 women aged 40–74 attending primary healthcare centres across Bahrain. The descriptive cross-sectional study assessed mammography use, barriers to screening and factors associated with uptake. Overall, 181 participants (59.9%) had undergone mammography at least once, but only 59 (19.6%) reported screening within the recommended interval.
The most commonly reported barriers were believing mammography was unnecessary (67.9%) and not receiving a physician recommendation (64.4%). Other barriers included insufficient information (42.4%), fear of pain or a cancer diagnosis (30.9% each), and fear of treatment or mastectomy (27.6%). In multivariable analysis, a formal screening invitation within the previous two years was associated with higher uptake (adjusted odds ratio 5.23; 95% CI 2.55–10.72). Older age, family history of breast cancer and previous breast-related problems were also associated with screening.
The findings point to low regular screening and potential opportunities for targeted education and outreach in Bahraini primary care. However, the cross-sectional design cannot establish that invitations caused higher uptake, and the results may not generalize beyond the study population. The authors reported no financial support or competing interests.
In practice
Among women aged 40–74 attending primary healthcare centres in Bahrain, fewer than one in five reported mammography within the recommended interval. Provider invitations were strongly associated with uptake, but this cross-sectional study cannot show that invitations increase screening. Its findings identify locally reported barriers and may inform consideration of outreach and education approaches in similar settings; they do not establish the effectiveness of any intervention or justify changing screening recommendations. Applicability outside the sampled Bahraini population is uncertain.
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BMC Public Health: Determinants and barriers to mammography screening uptake among Bahraini women: a cross-sectional study in primary healthcare settings ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.