Evaluation of Mammography Uptake and Barriers Among Women in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria

Breast cancer is the most prevalent female cancer in Nigeria, and mammographic screening is the evidence-based primary detection tool that remains critically underutilised in Nigerian communities. In Ibadan, Oyo State, the availability of mammography services at University College Hospital provides a regional screening resource whose uptake rates and associated barriers among eligible women deserve systematic investigation. This study evaluates the uptake of mammography services and identifies the barriers to utilisation among women aged 40 to 70 years in Ibadan. A cross-sectional descriptive survey is conducted among 280 women recruited from three primary healthcare centres and University College Hospital outpatient clinics, using a structured questionnaire. Variables assessed include mammography uptake history, awareness of breast cancer screening guidelines, financial accessibility, perceived pain and radiation fear, physician referral patterns, and sociodemographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis are computed in SPSS. Available breast cancer screening literature from South West Nigeria identifies financial cost, fear of radiation, and lack of physician referral as the three strongest barriers to mammography uptake among urban Nigerian women. The Health Belief Model provides the theoretical framework for analysing perceived susceptibility, barriers, and cues to screening action. Findings are expected to reveal uptake rates below 20 percent, substantially below international targets. Recommendations address community breast health education campaigns, subsidised mammography programmes, and physician-initiated screening referral protocols in Ibadan. Keywords: mammography, breast cancer screening, barriers, Ibadan, South West Nigeria.