Prevalence And Barriers To Mammography Screening Among Healthcare Personnel In Al-Hillah City: A Study On Awareness And Practice

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a leading cause of female mortality worldwide. Despite Iraq offering a free national breast cancer screening program, participation rates in the community remain low. The participation of female healthcare workers, who are key to promoting this program also questionable. Objective: To assess the prevalence of adherence to mammography among female healthcare personnel and identify barriers and predictors related.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st of January to the end of October, 2025, targeting female health care staff aged 40 years or older. A total of 250 participants were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected through a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS v27 (significance: P ≤ 0.05).

Results:  The mean age of Participants was 48.17±5.97 years. There is a notable Gap between knowledge, attitude, and practice. Although 75% of the female health care personnel had a positive attitude toward screening, 63% lacked essential knowledge, and alarmingly, 60% had never had a mammogram, and only 22% screened regularly. False sense of security due to absence of symptoms (40%) or family history of breast cancer (44%) represents predominant barriers, while others feared radiation (34%) or neglected the issue. Medical professionals appeared to demonstrate a higher level of awareness (OR=8.761, p=0.002) and screening rates (OR=10.773, p=0.007). Additionally, working in primary health care seemed to be associated with increased screening practices (OR=4.008, p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion: Mammography uptake appeared critically low among female HCPs in Al-Hillah city, with key barriers that specifically rely on misconceptions highlighting a need for targeted interventions ensuring HCPs serve as effective advocates for early detection.