Physician Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Breast Density

Many states have enacted breast density laws, requiring that women be informed of their breast density status; however there is currently no consensus for screening guidelines or recommendations for women with dense breasts. The objective of this study is to access physician views about breast density and their practices for breast cancer screening of women with dense breasts in light of breast density laws. Setting: Academic medical centers, community and private practices mostly in New York City. Participants: Primary care providers (PCPs), radiologists and gynecologists. Procedure: We conducted the study through anonymous, self-administered surveys about physician knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding screening of women with dense breasts. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess differences between PCPs and specialists. We received 155 responses of which 75% were female, 77% were attending-level physicians, 42% were PCPs, 28% were radiologists, 17% were gynecologists, and 9% other. Almost half of the respondents (48%) were unaware of breast density laws, and two-thirds (67%) felt they needed more education about breast density and supplemental screening. More than half of the respondents (62%) were unaware of the increased risk of breast cancer related to dense breasts. Compared to specialists, PCPs were less aware of their state's breast density laws (odds ratio [OR] 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.50) and of the increased breast cancer risk for women with dense breasts (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.09-0.60). Breast density laws have not translated into greater knowledge of breast density and recommendations for supplemental screening among PCPs.