What Do Women Know About Breast Density? Results From a Population Survey of Virginia Women.
OBJECTIVE
Breast density reduces the sensitivity of mammography and is a moderate independent risk factor for breast cancer. Virginia is one of 24 states that currently require notification of patients when they have dense breasts. However, little is known about what women in the general population know about breast density. This survey study assessed knowledge about breast density and about its impact on mammography and breast cancer risk.


METHODS
A random sample of 1024 Virginia women between ages 35 and 70 years without breast cancer, reached by landline and cell phone, who completed a 24-minute interview. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Thirty-six percent of respondents had been informed about their breast density. These women were more likely to be familiar with the term "breast density." Seventy-five percent of respondents reported being either somewhat or very familiar with risk factors for breast cancer, but <1% spontaneously listed breast density as a risk factor. About half of women who had a mammogram in the last year were aware of their breast density. Overall, only one in five women were aware that density reduces the sensitivity of mammography and only one in eight were aware that density increases breast cancer risk. Very few respondents (5.3%) were able to correctly answer three density knowledge questions. Lower-education, African-American, and Jewish women were less knowledgeable about breast density.


CONCLUSIONS
Although women are becoming aware of the term "breast density," they may not understand its relationship to cancer detection on mammography and, especially, its relationship to breast cancer risk.
Center for Survey Research, Department of Sociology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Thomas M
TM
Guterbock
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Wendy F
WF
Cohn
Center for Survey Research, Department of Sociology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Deborah L
DL
Rexrode
Center for Survey Research, Department of Sociology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Casey M
CM
Eggleston
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Melissa
M
Dean-McKinney
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Wendy M
WM
Novicoff
Department of Medical Biophysics, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Martin J
MJ
Yaffe
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
William A
WA
Knaus
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Electronic address: jharvey@virginia.edu.
Jennifer A
JA
Harvey
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000071060:Breast Density; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Breast density; breast cancer knowledge; breast cancer risk; mammography; population studies