Siemens Breast Cancer Awareness Survey 2011
The survey was conducted in eight countries from Dec 2010 to Jan 2011 in Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Russia, Sweden and United States.
The target group of each country were 500 women age 25 to 65. The average is 40 years.
The sample is equally spread over income categories and about half have a middle education qualification.
Four questions were asked to learn about:
1. What do women think and feel about breast cancer prevention?
2. How well are women informed?
3. Usage of screening?
4. Expectations and motivation?
Sweden stood out from the crowd. Only 25% trust the information from gynecologist and family physicians compared to 69% on average.
Note: due to high education levels women are aware that mammography with its high rate of false positives and false negatives which cause stress and lead to unnecessary procedures is not suitable for early detection. The radiation issue is widely publicized. A lesion needs to be 5mm in size to be detected compared to 1mm or less with thermography and Donna Glove.
India in contrast felt best informed by physicians with 89%. Willingness to take part in screening, however, meets concerns: 52% doubt the effectiveness, 54% fear complications and 59% fear the results.
Brazil: 96% indicate that breast cancer screenings are important or very important, the highest rate of all countries. 73% go for screening once a year and an additional 11% every other year. 65% of the age group 25 to 34 and 77% of the age group 55 to 65 go once a year.
Note: here marketing really works, the goverment offers free screenings and women trust their benevolent government. There are no critical voices to be heard, the media gives 100% support. The situation is remeniscent of Europe 30 years ago.
China: 71% trust their gynecologist most and family physicians play a minor role with 3%.
46% are concerned about high cost and 43% about radiation. Particularily younger women and older women and women with higher education are concerned about radiation.
Some 56% have had a screening already.
Note: only 25% considered themselves to be well informed in total contrast to India with 75%.
Russia: 30% assume that there is an official screening program and only 22% indicate to be well informed, the lowest of all countries.
Note: neither chemo nor radio are propagated, incomes are low, hence no breast cancer market has been developed. From the “industry´s” point of view it appears to be a country not worth bothering with. Breast cancer incidences are still statistically irrelevant. It would take some considerable effort to increase these requiring the cooperation of the medical profession. The Russian doctors I know just wouldn´t go along with it.
Austria: for 95% of women the gynecologist is the most trustworthy source of information and 82% have had a screening.
Note: a darling of the industry this small country had to be included in this survey.
Germany: 89% state that the gynecologist is the most trustworthy followed by 45% for the family physician. 87% have had a screening. 77% agree that it is important for the public to be informed. 64% of women find it important to receive information material about screening procedures while 67% agree that material should contain understandable medical explanations.
Note: ….yes, that´s what the highlights say.
USA: only about two thirds of women consider the importance of breast cancer screening high or very high, that´s the lowest of all countries. Gynecologists score 34% and family physicians 30% as the most trustworthy source of information only, that leaves 36% for alternative sources.
Note: after decades of record mastectomies, chemo and radio, mammos and MRIs, the industry seems to loose their grip on an overdeveloped and well exploited market.
the full survey is available via this link: