OBJECTIVES : Breast cancer causes a great public health problem in Hungary. The aim of our study was to assess the attitude towards mammography screening among women within a risked age group, in the city of Szekszárd and its agglomeration in Hungary. We surveyed their knowledge about the risk factors of breast cancer and assessed the tools that affect participation positively.

METHODS : We conducted a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study with a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire between February and August 2018. Women between the age of 45-65 were selected from the agglomeration of Szekszárd, Hungary (n=151). Women suffering from breast cancer were excluded. SPSS 20.0 and MS Excel 2006 were used for analysing data. χ²-test and one-way ANOVA were used (p<0.05) alongside with descriptive statistics.

RESULTS : 89.4% of respondents participated on mammography screening, which is a 60.3% ratio when considering the last two years. Most socio-demographic factors (except residence) affected participation significantly (p<0.05). Some background factors, for example childlessness have a negative effect on participation (p=0.05). Women with higher education have a greater knowledge on breast cancer and its screening process, than those with lower education (p=0.016).

CONCLUSIONS : Women are not aware of the importance of mammography screening due to the lack of knowledge about breast cancer and its methods of prevention. Sharing information about breast cancer and its screening process on a broader scale, through more communication channels could be the key to increase the frequency of participation.