News | Breast Density | July 19, 2022

Working with Patient Advisory Group to Ensure Content is Understandable and Actionable 

When radiologists review mammograms, they can see how dense the breasts are. Below are four mammogram images of breasts. The two images on the right are referred to as dense breasts.

July 19, 2022 — DenseBreast-info.org (DB-i) has completed a health literacy update of patient educational materials on the website, making the content easier to understand and to act on. The project included the launch of a Patient Advisory Group whose input reinforced the need for “simple” language.  

“Low health literacy contributes to disparities in cancer care. Mammogram results letters can be difficult to understand and unclear.  Lack of understanding can impact decisions and, ultimately, outcomes,” said JoAnn Pushkin, Executive Director, DenseBreast-info. “As a resource women may turn to on the topic, we worked to balance information, delivery, and suggested action. The sweet spot is medically sourced information in simple language, presented in an easy-to-read format.”  

Word selection, images, and an easy-to-use format help readers understand and act on the materials. These changes will help women make decisions about their breast health. Patient understanding was improved with “simple language” updates (see graphic). 

According to Patti Beyer, a density inform advocate, and Patient Advisory Group member, “Accurate and understandable information is important for patients, especially as women may be hesitant to say they don’t understand a term or recommendation.” 

“Density inform letters raise awareness about the implications of dense breast tissue, but they often are unclear about what the woman should do with the information. Health providers may also lack clarity about the risks of dense breasts and the benefits and considerations for additional screening beyond mammography.  Women must be able to find clear information to guide their decisions.  We are helping them do that.” said Wendie Berg, MD, PhD, Professor of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital, Department of Radiology and Chief Scientific Advisor, DenseBreast-info.org. 

For more information: www.densebreast-info.org 

Find more information on Breast Density 


Related Content

News | Mammography

September 22, 2023 — Hologic Inc. and Bayer announced an international partnership to deliver contrast-enhanced ...

Time September 22, 2023
arrow
News | Digital Pathology

September 22, 2023 — Lunit, a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, today ...

Time September 22, 2023
arrow
Feature | Breast Imaging | By Susan Harvey, MD, FSBI

In countries with organized screening programs, regular breast cancer screening has been a crucial tool in the clinician ...

Time September 22, 2023
arrow
News | Mammography Reporting Software

September 13, 2023 — Lunit, a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, has ...

Time September 13, 2023
arrow
News | Mammography

September 13, 2023 — Lene Andersen, MSW, has been living with rheumatoid arthritis and disability since childhood. Her ...

Time September 13, 2023
arrow
News | Breast Density

September 12, 2023 — DenseBreast-info.org (DBI), a leading website on the topic of dense breasts, has announced that the ...

Time September 12, 2023
arrow
News | Digital Pathology

September 11, 2023 —Ibex Medical Analytics , a leader in AI-powered cancer diagnostics, today announced the launch of ...

Time September 11, 2023
arrow
News | Artificial Intelligence

September 11, 2023 — Lunit, a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, is ...

Time September 11, 2023
arrow
News | Mammography

September 5, 2023 — Using a standardized assessment, researchers in the UK compared the performance of a commercially ...

Time September 05, 2023
arrow
News | Breast Imaging

August 29, 2023 — Combining artificial intelligence (AI) systems for short- and long-term breast cancer risk results in ...

Time August 29, 2023
arrow
Subscribe Now