{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,1]],"date-time":"2026-11-01T02:54:36Z","timestamp":1793501676810,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]],"date-time":"2022-06-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1655251200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. This analytical cross-sectional study assessed knowledge, attitude towards breast cancer, and barriers to mammogram screening among 414 randomly selected female healthcare workers from multiple healthcare facilities in northern Saudi Arabia. Of the studied population, 48.6% had low knowledge, and 16.1% had a low attitude towards breast cancer risk factors and symptoms. The common barriers to mammogram screening were fear to discover cancer (57.2%) and apprehension regarding radiation exposure (57%). Logistic regression analysis found that lack of awareness regarding mammogram was significantly associated with age (p = 0.030) and healthcare workers category (ref: physicians: p = 0.016). In addition, we found a significant negative correlation between knowledge and barrier scores (Spearman\u2019s rho: \u22120.315, p &lt; 0.001). It is recommended to develop target-oriented educational programs for the healthcare workers, which would empower them to educate the community regarding the risk factors and the importance of mammogram screening. Furthermore, a prospective study is warranted in other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand the region-specific training needs for the healthcare workers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol29060344","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]],"date-time":"2022-06-15T22:17:01Z","timestamp":1655331421000},"page":"4300-4314","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["Female Healthcare Workers\u2019 Knowledge, Attitude towards Breast Cancer, and Perceived Barriers towards Mammogram Screening: A Multicenter Study in North Saudi Arabia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"29","author":[{"given":"Anfal Mohammed","family":"Alenezi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ashokkumar","family":"Thirunavukkarasu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8614-3293","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Farooq Ahmed","family":"Wani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hadil","family":"Alenezi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhannad Faleh","family":"Alanazi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Radiology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdulaziz Saud","family":"Alruwaili","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rasha Harbi","family":"Alashjaee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Faisal Harbi","family":"Alashjaee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdulaziz Khalid","family":"Alrasheed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Surgery, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh 12745, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bandar Dhaher","family":"Alshrari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2021, January 15). Breast Cancer. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/breast-cancer."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"650","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2020.00650","article-title":"The Burden and Trends of Breast Cancer from 1990 to 2017 at the Global, Regional, and National Levels: Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017","volume":"10","author":"Ji","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Global Burden of Disease 2019 Cancer Collaboration (2022). Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 to 2019: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. JAMA Oncol., 8, 420\u2013444."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Alkabban, F.M., and Ferguson, T. (2022). Breast Cancer. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"CDC (2022, January 10). What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?, Available online: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cancer\/breast\/basic_info\/risk_factors.htm."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101578","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jksus.2021.101578","article-title":"Incidence trends of breast cancer in Saudi Arabia: A joinpoint regression analysis (2004\u20132016)","volume":"33","author":"Albeshan","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. King Saud Univ.-Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"679","article-title":"Epidemiology of cancer in Saudi Arabia thru 2010\u20132019: A systematic review with constrained meta-analysis","volume":"7","author":"Alqahtani","year":"2020","journal-title":"AIMS Public Health"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Reeves, R.A., and Kaufman, T. (2022). Mammography. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"46","article-title":"Breast self examination and mammography in cancer screening: Women health protective behavior","volume":"55","author":"Ghodsi","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Prev. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"MOH (2022, January 21). Breast Cancer Screening, Available online: https:\/\/www.moh.gov.sa\/en\/HealthAwareness\/Campaigns\/Breastcancer\/Pages\/ray.aspx."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"MOH (2022, March 12). Breast Cancer Early Detection (BCED), Available online: https:\/\/www.moh.gov.sa\/en\/Ministry\/Projects\/breast-cancer\/Pages\/default.aspx."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9292768","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/9292768","article-title":"Knowledge and Practice of Breast Cancer Screening Methods among Female Community Pharmacists in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"2021","author":"Ayoub","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Breast Cancer"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abeje, S., Seme, A., and Tibelt, A. (2019). Factors associated with breast cancer screening awareness and practices of women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. BMC Women\u2019s Health, 19.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-018-0695-9"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","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. Fam. Med."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"WHO (2022, February 13). Health Professions Network. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/teams\/health-workforce\/health-professions-networks\/."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2553","DOI":"10.2147\/RMHP.S277375","article-title":"Perceived Barriers and Awareness of Mammography Screening Among Saudi Women Attending Primary Health Centers","volume":"13","author":"Mohamed","year":"2020","journal-title":"Risk Manag. Healthc. Policy"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107327481986377","DOI":"10.1177\/1073274819863777","article-title":"Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Breast Cancer Early Detection Among Women in a Mountainous Area in Northern Vietnam","volume":"26","author":"Toan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cancer Control"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.2147\/BCTT.S275445","article-title":"Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Around Breast Cancer and Mammography Screening Among Jordanian Women","volume":"12","author":"Alakhras","year":"2020","journal-title":"Breast Cancer Targets Ther."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thirunavukkarasu, A., Almulhim, A.K., Albalawi, F.A., Alruwaili, Z.M., Almajed, O.A., Alruwaili, S.H., Almugharriq, M.M., Alruwaili, A.S., and Alkuwaykibi, M.K. (2021). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Diabetic Retinopathy among Primary Care Physicians of Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare9121697"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.11604\/pamj.2021.38.357.26208","article-title":"Disparities in knowledge, attitude, and practices of infection prevention and control of Lassa fever among health care workers at The Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria","volume":"38","author":"Ukwenya","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pan. Afr. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"El Bcheraoui, C., Basulaiman, M., Wilson, S., Daoud, F., Tuffaha, M., AlMazroa, M.A., Memish, Z.A., Al Saeedi, M., and Mokdad, A.H. (2015). Breast cancer screening in Saudi Arabia: Free but almost no takers. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0119051"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-019-0819-x","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening among female health care professionals: A cross sectional study","volume":"19","author":"Heena","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Women\u2019s Health"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Akhigbe, A.O., and Omuemu, V.O. (2009). Knowledge, attitudes and practice of breast cancer screening among female health workers in a Nigerian urban city. BMC Cancer, 9.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2407-9-203"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6490156","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/6490156","article-title":"Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors about Breast Self-Examination and Mammography among Female Primary Healthcare Workers in Diyarbak\u0131r, Turkey","volume":"2016","author":"Erdem","year":"2016","journal-title":"BioMed Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1158\/1940-6207.CAPR-18-0443","article-title":"\u201cA Natural Progression\u201d: Australian Women\u2019s Attitudes about an Individualized Breast Screening Model","volume":"12","author":"Lippey","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cancer Prev. Res."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Matranga, D., and Maniscalco, L. (2022). Inequality in Healthcare Utilization in Italy: How Important Are Barriers to Access?. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19031697"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S51","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)30417-3","article-title":"Motivators and barriers to mammography screening uptake by female health-care workers in primary health-care centres: A cross-sectional study","volume":"391","author":"Nazzal","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1007\/s13187-016-1057-7","article-title":"Breast Cancer Knowledge and Screening Practice and Barriers Among Women in Madinah, Saudi Arabia","volume":"33","author":"Alharbi","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Cancer Educ."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Laza-V\u00e1squez, C., Hern\u00e1ndez-Leal, M.J., Carles-Lavila, M., P\u00e9rez-Lacasta, M.J., Cruz-Esteve, I., Ru\u00e9, M., and On Behalf of the Decido, G. (2022). Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of a Personalized Breast Cancer Screening Program: Views of Spanish Health Professionals. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19031406"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e560","DOI":"10.1093\/pubmed\/fdy077","article-title":"Breast cancer screening behavior, attitude, barriers among middle-aged Chinese women in Macao, China","volume":"40","author":"Gan","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2130","DOI":"10.4161\/hv.29603","article-title":"Health literacy","volume":"10","author":"Rowlands","year":"2014","journal-title":"Hum. Vaccines Immunother."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Ratzan, S., Parker, R., Selden, C., and Zorn, M. (2000). National Library of Medicine Current Bibliographies in Medicine: Health Literacy."},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"96","article-title":"Evaluation of Public Health Education and Workforce Needs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia","volume":"10","author":"Javed","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Epidemiol. Glob. Health"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.11622\/smedj.2019003","article-title":"The future of medical education","volume":"60","author":"Yeoh","year":"2019","journal-title":"Singap. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Couper, I., Ray, S., Blaauw, D., Ng\u2019wena, G., Muchiri, L., Oyungu, E., Omigbodun, A., Morhason-Bello, I., Ibingira, C., and Tumwine, J. (2018). Curriculum and training needs of mid-level health workers in Africa: A situational review from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. BMC Health Serv. Res., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-018-3362-9"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"578","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(21)00071-1","article-title":"The Global Breast Cancer Initiative: A strategic collaboration to strengthen health care for non-communicable diseases","volume":"22","author":"Anderson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1632","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(21)00462-9","article-title":"National health system characteristics, breast cancer stage at diagnosis, and breast cancer mortality: A population-based analysis","volume":"22","author":"Duggan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol."}],"container-title":["Current Oncology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/29\/6\/344\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:32:20Z","timestamp":1760139140000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/29\/6\/344"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6]]}},"alternative-id":["curroncol29060344"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/curroncol29060344","relation":{},"ISSN":["1718-7729"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1718-7729","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]]}}}