title: A Survey on Singaporean Women's Knowledge, Perception and Practices of Mammogram Screening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Singapore is the first Asian country to establish a nationwide breast screening programme, but our breast cancer screening uptake lags behind the Western countries. This survey focused on the subject of screening mammography, to assess the reasons for non-attendance and explore ways to improve our screening uptake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Females ≥21 years old were approached at primary healthcare clinics to participate in this survey, which questioned their knowledge, perception and expectations of breast screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1011 respondents. Of the 740 respondents ≥40 years old, 332 respondents (45.5%) went for regular mammogram screening. Women who had lower household incomes [<$2000 (OR 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.85); $2000 to $3999 (OR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.97)], did not know anyone with breast cancer (OR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.92), did not perform breast self-examination (OR 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.62), had lower knowledge scores (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.51), did not attend other health screening (OR 0.14; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.41), and perceived mammography as embarrassing (OR 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.96), were less likely to attend mammographic screening. Many did not know that screening is for the asymptomatic (51.2%), or the age to start screening (46.3%). Most respondents preferred to have their mammograms in the polyclinics (62.2%) and their screening reminders to be through short messaging service (SMS) (46.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show the current influences on Singapore women's screening practices, and also revealed that their understanding of mammogram screening is limited despite a high level of breast cancer awareness.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Siew Kuan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Xin Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Jia Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Fay X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Su Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012846:Singapore; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult