Does increase in women's empowerment and socio-economic conditions affect uptake of breast cancer screening? Findings from NFHS (5), India

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer screening results in early recovery, good prognosis and improving the overall survival due to disease. However, proportion of women undergoing breast cancer screening are minimal and their participation get influenced due to low socio-economic and women empowerment status (SES and WES). This study explores the relationship of SES and WES with the breast cancer screening uptakes in the states and union territories of India using demographic health survey.Methods: We used secondary data based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) state level factsheet for this study. SES and WES were considered as independent variables and breast cancer screening uptakes as dependent variable. Dimension indices based composite scores were calculated for this purpose. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to find the association between the SES and WES with breast cancer screening uptake. The determinants of breast cancer screening were obtained using a simple linear regression model using the DI values of each indicator.Results: We found breast cancer screening gets influenced by the SES and WES. State level indicators shows that spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of breast cancer screening is moderately positive with socio-economic (0.336) and women empowerment (0.378) status. The highest screening uptake seen in Tamilnadu and lowest in Chandigarh. Women literacy rate and women having self-operated bank account found the significantly associated with the BC screening. Conclusion: This study underlines that improving SES and WES may influence the breast cancer screening uptake. However, not all the components of SES and WES considered in the study are equally influential. More research is needed for the states with relatively higher WES and SES, but do not screen adequately.

Socio-economic and regional variation in breast and cervical cancer screening among Indian women of reproductive age: a study from National Family Health Survey, 2019-21

“…Despite continuous governmental efforts from introducing cancer screening and awareness programs starting with the launch of the National Cancer Control Programme in 1975 to launching the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in 2010, the screening for breast and cervical cancer among women has continued to remain low. At the same time, mortality due to breast and cervical cancers remains the highest in the country [26]. The NPCDCS aims to prevent and control chronic NCDs, including cancer, through opportunistic screening and/or using the camp approach at different levels of health facilities among the population aged 30 years and above [35].…”

“…The availability of cancer screening is limited to city centres, thus limiting the access to cancer screening. People from rural areas cannot access those facilities and are possibly living with undiagnosed cancer cases, besides, there are large regional variations [25][26][27][28]. The Government of India has acknowledged cancer screening as a key strategy for reducing disease burden.…”