One in five women skip life-saving breast cancer screening in Region Syddanmark

Nearly one in five women in Region Syddanmark fail to attend their breast cancer screening, despite the six-minute procedure’s potential to save lives by detecting cancer early, DR reports.

The region has launched a targeted campaign to reach vulnerable women, who are disproportionately missing screenings. Mette Guul, manager of Reden, a day centre for marginalised women in Odense, supports the initiative, citing a lack of awareness and anxiety as key barriers.

“I think women lack information, and I think they’re worried. The women we work with don’t show up for screenings,” Guul said.

Reden, part of the YWCA’s social work, serves around 600 women, including those with substance abuse issues, mental health struggles, or social isolation. Julie Christine Jensen, a nurse at the centre, said many women face practical and psychological obstacles.

“These women don’t have the same opportunities as others. They don’t know what mammography is, they don’t check their digital mail, they lack transport, and they don’t prioritise self-care for these checks,” Jensen said.

Anja, a Reden user, admitted she often ignores screening invitations in her digital mailbox, assuming they’re unimportant or stressful. “I think, ‘No, no, I can’t open this’—it’s usually just bad news or bills. And then there’s something like mammography, and you just don’t open it,” she said.

Jensen recalled accompanying a woman to her first screening, easing her fears. “She was afraid it would hurt. She didn’t know what to expect, but we went together, and she came out with her arms raised, all smiles.”

The campaign includes multilingual flyers and partnerships with municipalities and organisations like Reden. Region Syddanmark’s screening program, running since 2009 for women aged 50–69, detected breast cancer in 0.62% of the 133,329 participants in the latest round. Attendance was 83.3%.

Screenings are offered at fixed locations in Odense, Svendborg, Fredericia, Esbjerg, Grindsted, Haderslev, Tønder, and Sønderborg. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the Western world, with risk increasing after age 50.