OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the adherence of a hospital female personnel to a program for breast cancer prevention by means of mammography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was developed with 91 female workers evaluated by means of a questionnaire and follow-up of the periodicity of mammographic studies in the period from 2000 to 2009. RESULTS: A total of 247 mammography studies were performed. Compliance with the periodicity schedule was informed by 48 of the participants, 12.6% of them by medical request, 47.9% because they were aware of the relevance of such study, 4.1% because of previous family history of cancer, and 35.4% as a clinical routine. Forty-three participants did not comply with the periodicity schedule, 37.3% of them because they had not a medical request, 20.9% because they could not have it done through the Sistema Único de Saúde (Brazilian Unified Health System), 18.6% for fear, and 23.2% due to unawareness about the relevance of such an examination. CONCLUSION: The participation in the program was low. The adherence to the program was poor in the hospital because of the unawareness about breast cancer prevention.
Breast cancer; Secondary prevention; Health care; Hospital environment
