Another opportunity for prevention: assessing alcohol use by women attending breast screening services in Lismore, NSW.
Substantial epidemiological evidence supports the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer; however, information on alcohol consumption is not routinely collected by breast screening services in NSW. This study was conducted to investigate the level of self-reported alcohol use among women accessing North Coast Breast Screen in Lismore, NSW. Two hundred and sixty-four consecutive women were screened using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Their drinking status was categorised as low risk, risky or high risk. Two-thirds of the screened women (69.7%) were classified as low-risk drinkers; 9.8% as risky and 0.4% as high-risk drinkers. Although the risk of breast cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consumed, evidence suggests that even low-risk drinking is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Implications for prevention activities by breast screening services are discussed.
Daly
Michelle D
MD
North Coast Area Health Service. Michelle.Daly@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Passey
Megan E
ME
Harvey
Amanda J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales