Men’s Knowledge of and Behavior toward Mammography Screening: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is a public health problem that affects many populations worldwide. Women’s health care behavior, including seeking mammography screening, might be affected by men, especially in conservative Arab societies. Few studies have investigated men’s behavior toward mammography for female relatives. The main aims of this study were (i) to evaluate men’s knowledge about mammography screening and (ii) to assess men’s behavior toward women regarding mammogram screening and the factors influencing their behavior. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among male residents of the five main geographic areas of Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained with a self-administered questionnaire. In addition to sociodemographic data, the questionnaire assessed respondents’ general knowledge about mammograms, their behavior toward female family members who use mammography, and their perceptions about awareness campaigns. RESULTS: A total of 9691 male respondents were included in the study. The majority (79%) recommended mammography to their female family members. Multiple factors were significantly associated with men recommending mammograms, including age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), employment status (P<0.01), and region (P<0.01). Only 33.8% of the participants had a high knowledge score about mammography. Approximately 45% of respondents reported that BC awareness campaigns were weak, while 48% were not aware of BC screening programs. CONCLUSIONS: Despite their positive behavior in recommending mammograms to female relatives, men exhibited a notable lack of knowledge about mammography. Establishing national programs and educational campaigns for men to explain the benefits of screening and access to free mammography are essential.