BACKGROUND: In the UK, breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women, accounting for 31% of cancers and 15% of cancer-related deaths in women. In 2023, London's breast screening coverage was 56%, falling below the NHS target of 70%. This survey assesses psychological and behavioural factors impacting screening attendance.
METHODS: Using the Theoretical Domains Framework, an online survey including 15 behavioural factors was distributed through a market research company to women eligible for breast screening (aged 47-73) across London and Southeast and West England. Logistic regression was used to predict the impact of behavioural variables on history of attendance and intention to attend future screening opportunities.
RESULTS: Of the 922 respondents who returned the full survey, 88.6% intended to attend future screenings, and 88.1% reported previously attending screenings regularly. 'Behavioural regulation' had the strongest influence on past attendance (OR = 1.92, < 0.001) and future intent (OR = 1.56, = 0.003). Not intending to attend was linked to emotional consequences (OR = 0.68, = 0.003) and environmental barriers (OR = 0.66, < 0.001), where OR-Odds Ratio.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey identifies behavioural factors influencing breast screening participation and screening intention, providing insights that may help design interventions to increase attendance rates.
