{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T06:15:28Z","timestamp":1783577728905,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783555200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Breast density (BD) is an established factor that reduces mammographic sensitivity and is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in breast cancer screening play a pivotal role in patient counseling, risk communication, and screening recommendations. This study aimed to assess knowledge and awareness regarding BD among this group of healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire distributed to the targeted HCPs in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and responses, and chi-square tests were used to examine associations between awareness variables and demographic characteristics, with statistical significance set at\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 335 breast cancer screening HCPs participated in the study. Radiologists were more aware than non-radiology physicians and radiological technologists of the effect of BD on mammographic accuracy (87.6% vs. 70.0 and 76.7%, respectively) and breast cancer risk (83.5% vs. 58.0 and 65.6%, respectively). Awareness of the increased breast cancer risk associated with BD was significantly related to respondents\u2019 specialty (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001) and years of professional experience (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001), while gender was significantly associated with awareness of reduced mammographic accuracy (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f0.002).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study demonstrates variable awareness among breast cancer screening HCPs in Saudi Arabia regarding the impact of BD on mammographic accuracy and breast cancer risk, with significantly higher awareness among radiologists than among non-radiology physicians and radiologic technologists. In addition, the study highlights gaps in knowledge, patient communication, and routine clinical practices related to BD, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1843814","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T05:34:18Z","timestamp":1783575258000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessment of knowledge and awareness regarding breast density among breast cancer screening healthcare professionals"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Areej S.","family":"Aloufi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4036","DOI":"10.1007\/s00330-022-08617-6","article-title":"Breast cancer screening in women with extremely dense breasts recommendations of the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI)","volume":"32","author":"Mann","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur Radiol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111837","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejrad.2024.111837","article-title":"Extremely dense breasts: a comprehensive review of increased cancer risk and supplementary screening methods","volume":"182","author":"Nissan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur J Radiol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1150","DOI":"10.1002\/ijc.34316","article-title":"Breast density and risk of breast cancer","volume":"152","author":"Lynge","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J 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Riyadh: association with breast cancer risk factors and implications for screening practices","volume":"54","author":"Albeshan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin Imaging"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.breast.2018.09.001","article-title":"The impact of legislation mandating breast density notification\u2014review of the evidence","volume":"42","author":"Houssami","year":"2018","journal-title":"Breast"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"350","DOI":"10.1016\/j.radi.2024.12.012","article-title":"Breast density awareness and cancer risk in the UAE: enhancing women's engagement in early detection","volume":"31","author":"Rawashdeh","year":"2025","journal-title":"Radiography"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9029","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19159029","article-title":"Australian general practitioners\u2019 current knowledge, understanding, and feelings regarding breast density information and notification: a cross-sectional study","volume":"19","author":"Dolan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1457","DOI":"10.1089\/jwh.2020.8898","article-title":"Breast density notification: a systematic review of the impact on primary care practitioners","volume":"30","author":"Nickel","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Women's Health"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4300","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol29060344","article-title":"Female healthcare workers\u2019 knowledge, attitude towards breast Cancer, and perceived barriers towards mammogram screening: a multicenter study in North Saudi Arabia","volume":"29","author":"Alenezi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr Oncol"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1007\/s44197-022-00056-2","article-title":"Attitudes and practice of health care providers toward cancer screening: a cross-sectional multicenter study, Saudi Arabia","volume":"12","author":"Ahmed","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Epidemiol Glob Health"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0311999","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0311999","article-title":"Healthcare providers' (HCPs) perspectives in initiating discussion on mammogram screening, and their perceived barriers and enablers to screening in women-a qualitative study","volume":"20","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1370\/afm.2208","article-title":"Roles and functions of community health workers in primary care","volume":"16","author":"Hartzler","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann. 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An integrative review","volume":"96","author":"Best","year":"2023","journal-title":"Br J Radiol"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"pkae103","DOI":"10.1093\/jncics\/pkae103","article-title":"Clinical guidelines for the management of mammographic density: a systematic review of breast screening guidelines worldwide","volume":"8","author":"Isautier","year":"2024","journal-title":"JNCI Cancer Spectr"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.21037\/gs-23-374","article-title":"Mammographic density in relationships with relevant contributing factors: a multicentric study from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia","volume":"13","author":"AlSaleh","year":"2024","journal-title":"Gland Surg"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1843814\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T05:34:19Z","timestamp":1783575259000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1843814\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"references-count":24,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1843814"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1843814","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"article-number":"1843814"}}