Health literacy and breast cancer screening adherence

Results from the population of Tuscany, Italy

Bibliographic Data

ID22945441
AuthorsPatrizio Zanobini (0000-0002-8202-2937, University of Florence, corresponding author), Guglielmo Bonaccorsi (0000-0002-5171-4308, University of Florence), Martina Giusti (0000-0001-7942-2393, University of Florence), Valentina Minardi (0000-0002-3512-3778, Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome , Italy), Valentina Possenti (0000-0001-7906-5066, Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome , Italy), Maria Masocco (0000-0003-2930-3542, Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome , Italy), Giorgio Garofalo (Department of Prevention, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Toscana Centro , Piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, 50122 Florence , Italy), Giovanna Mereu (Department of Prevention, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Toscana Centro , Piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, 50122 Florence , Italy), Rossella Cecconi (Department of Prevention, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Toscana Centro , Piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, 50122 Florence , Italy), Chiara Lorini (0000-0003-3170-1857, University of Florence)
Year2023
Volume38
Issue6
Publication date2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/daad177
PMID38146742
OpenAlexW4390231422
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited28

Mammographic screening can reduce breast cancer (BC) mortality in women. In Italy, although attendance rates increased recently, they are still far from the recommended levels internationally. Inadequate health literacy (HL) may be a reason for poor awareness and/or knowledge about the importance of completing cancer screening. This study examined the relationship between HL, other sociodemographic determinants, and their influence on participation in both opportunistic and organized BC screenings among women aged 50–69 in Tuscany. The study analyzed 2017–2019 data from the Tuscan population subsample in the Italian Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System PASSI (Progressi delle Aziende Sanitarie per la Salute in Italia). HL was assessed using the Italian version of the six-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q6). Among the 2250 interviewees, 75.3% underwent the organized BC screening and 9.4% on voluntary basis. Although to a different extent, HL was significantly associated to compliance rates with both opportunistic and organized screenings. Among sociodemographic factors, only occupational status was associated with opportunistic screening attendance rates. As expected, being invited by letter resulted to be strongly associated with participation to organized screening programs and the medical advice predicts for participating to both opportunistic and organized screening. This study highlights the relevant role that HL plays in BC, opportunistic and organized, screening adherence in a universal healthcare system. To increase BC screening participation rates, healthcare systems would benefit by implementing interventions for improved HL at population level or within healthcare organizations.

Attendance · Breast cancer · Breast cancer screening · Cancer · Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Health literacy · Literacy · Mammography · Population · Psychological intervention · Demography · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Nursing · Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare · Psychology · Gerontology