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Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Breast Cancer Screening Among Females in Saudi Arabia
Nawaf W Alruwaili1, Abdullah Mohammed Alfehaid1,2, Khaled Abdullah Shafi Al-Toum1,3
1Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Low mammography utilization persists in Saudi Arabia despite available screening. Key barriers include fear of diagnosis, belief in incurability, and radiation concerns, highlighting a significant knowledge-practice gap for breast cancer screening.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Oncology
- Health Behavior Research
Background:
- Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in Saudi Arabia (31.4% in 2020).
- Mammography utilization remains low despite free national screening services since 2005.
- A knowledge-practice gap exists regarding breast cancer screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among Saudi females.
- To identify independent predictors of mammography screening behavior.
- To inform public health strategies for improving screening uptake.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 426 females aged ≥20 across all 13 Saudi regions (Dec 2024-Feb 2025).
- Utilized quota-based sampling (facility-based and online recruitment).
- Employed validated instruments for knowledge, attitudes (Champion's Health Belief Model Scale), and practices; logistic regression analyzed predictors.
Main Results:
- Overall mammography uptake was 30.5%, rising to 52.2% for women aged ≥40.
- Predominant barriers included fear of diagnosis (83.6%), belief in incurability (76.3%), radiation concerns (73.2%), and pain anxiety (72.3%).
- Older age, higher income, transportation barriers, and family discouragement significantly predicted screening uptake (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- A substantial gap between breast cancer knowledge and screening practices exists across Saudi Arabia.
- Multi-level public health interventions are needed to address identified barriers.
- Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of targeted intervention strategies.
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