Mammogram uptake and barriers among Palestinian women attending primary health care in North Palestine

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the participants (N = 357).

Characteristics	(Mean ± SD)
Age	50.77 ± 8.43
Age at first delivery	20.89 ± 4.34
	Frequency (%)
Profession
Housewife	277 (77.6%)
Working	80 (22.4%)
Academic degree
Diploma or less	158 (44.3%)
Higher education	199 (55.7%)
Marital status
Married	267 (74.8%)
Single	40 (11.2%)
Divorced/ widow	50 (14%)
Income
Low (<1.000)	108 (30.3%)
Moderate (1.000–3.500)	186 (52.1%)
High (> 3.500)	63 (17.6%)
Husband's profession^a
Working	200 (77%)
Not working	60 (23%)
Husband's academic degree^a
Diploma or less	251 (96.5%)
Higher education	9 (3.5%)
Parity status
Yes	290 (94.2%)
No	18 (5.8%)
Breast feeding
Yes	271 (92.2%)
No	23 (7.8%)
Type of family
Nuclear family	273 (92.5%)
Extending family	22 (7.5%)

^aThese questions were not applicable to all participants.

Table 2. Knowledge of breast cancer among the participants (N = 357).

Knowledge statements	Yes (%)	No (%)
Early detection of breast cancer increases survival rates	314 (88.0%)	43 (12%)
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women	304 (85.2%)	53 (14.8%)
It is recommended to perform breast self-exam monthly	278 (77.9%)	79 (22.1%)
Breast cancer can occur in any age group	277 (77.6%)	80 (22.4%)
Late detection of breast cancer means the disease has metastasised to other parts of the body	270 (75.6%)	87 (24.4%)
Mammography is one of the most important methods for the early detection of breast cancer	269 (75.4%)	88 (24.6%)
Definition of mammography	262 (73.4%)	95 (26.6%)
The recommended age to start having mammograms	197 (55.2%)	160 (44.8%)
Smoking is a risk factor for breast cancer	244 (68.3%)	113 (31.7%)
The risk of breast cancer increases with age	232 (65%)	125 (35%)
Breast cancer may have a genetic predisposition	221 (61.9%)	136 (38.1%)
Breast cancer can develop without symptoms	210 (58.8%)	147 (41.2%)
Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer	157 (44.0%)	200 (56.0%)
Contraceptive pills increase the risk of breast cancer	143 (40.1%)	214 (59.9%)
Null parity is a risk factor for breast cancer	133 (37.3%)	224 (62.7%)
Menopause after age 50 increases the risk of breast cancer	94 (26.3%)	263 (73.7%)
Menarche before age 11 increases the risk of breast cancer	91 (25.5%)	266 (74.5%)
The birth of the first child at an age older than 30 increases the risk of breast cancer	89 (24.9%)	268 (75.1%)
The recommended frequency for mammography screening	115 (32.2%)	242 (67.8%)
Attitude statements	Agree	Disagree
Breastfeeding can protect against breast cancer	305 (85.4%)	52 (14.6%)
Mammography can detect breast cancer before its symptoms appear	196 (54.9%)	161 (45.1%)
Mammography has adverse effects	196 (54.9%)	161 (45.1%)
Mammography is painful	144 (40.3%)	213 (59.7%)

Table 3. Barriers preventing women from uptaking mammogram screening (N = 255).

Barrier	Frequency (%)
I do not have any symptoms	102 (28.6%)
I do not want to know whether I have breast cancer or not	79 (22.1%)
I am very busy	57 (16%)
I do not think that I might have breast cancer	56 (15.7%)
I am suffering from other chronic diseases that I am running for	36 (10.1%)
I am very shy to expose my breasts	29 (8.1%)
There are no guidelines or recommendations by the MoH	26 (7.3%)
Mammography is painful	24 (6.7%)
I do not know about it	19 (5.3%)
Mammography causes adverse effects	15 (4.2%)
Early detection is not important because cancer can't be treated	11 (3.1%)
I do not have trust in primary health care staff	8 (2.2%)
Mammograms can't detect breast cancer before its symptoms appear	6 (1.7%)

Table 4. Characteristics of participants in relation to mammography screening uptake (N = 357).

Characteristics	Uptake N = 132 (37%)	No uptake N = 225(63%)	p value*
Profession
Housewife	107 (39%)	170 (61%)	0.229
Working	25 (31%)	55 (69%)
Academic degree
Diploma or lower	56 (35.4%)	102 (64.6%)	0.593
Higher education	76 (38%)	123 (62%)
Marital status
Married	100 (37.5%)	167 (62.5%)
Single	13 (32.5%)	27 (67.5%)	0.822
Divorced /widow	19 (38%)	31 (62%)
Income
Low (< 1000)	35 (32%)	73 (68%)
Moderate (1000–350)	78 (42%)	108 (58%)	0.123
High (> 3500)	19 (30%)	44 (70%)
Parity status
Yes	110 (38%)	180 (62%)	0.935
No	7 (39%)	11 (61%)
Breastfeeding
Yes	105 (39%)	166 (61%)	0.229
No	6 (26%)	17 (74%)
Knowledge
Poor	30 (27.3%)	80 (72.7%)
Fair	67 (40.6%)	98 (59.4%)	0.038
Excellent	35 (42.7%)	47 (57.3%)
Perceived benefits of the monthly exam
Agree	104 (37.4%)	174 (62.6%)	0.749
Disagree	28 (35.4%)	51 (64.6%)
Perceived benefits of early detection
Yes	123 (39.2%)	191 (60.8%)	0.020
No	9 (20.9%)	34 (79.1%)
Perceived importance of mammograms
Yes	114 (42.5%)	155 (57.6%)	< 0.001
No	18 (20.5%)	70 (79.5%)
Perceived severity of the breast cancer
Yes	106 (39.3%)	164 (60.7%)	0.115
No	26 (29.9%)	61 (70.1%)
Perceived barriers (it is painful)
Yes	35 (46.1%)	41 (53.9%)	0.065
No	97 (34.5%)	184 (65.5%)
Perceived barriers (it has side effects)
Yes	9 (24.3%)	28 (75.7%)	0.092
No	123 (38.4%)	197 (61.6%)

*Chi-squared test.