Poland faces low mammography screening rates despite free availability

A recent report titled ‘Piersi w Polsce’ (Breasts in Poland), prepared by Ipsos for the SEXEDPL Foundation, highlights a significant gap in breast cancer screening participation. Despite 91% of women recognizing that early detection saves lives, only 32.77% of eligible women aged 45-74 utilized free mammography services last year.

Barriers to screening include fear of diagnosis (48%), perceived lack of availability (37%), time constraints (24%), and insufficient knowledge regarding prevention (42%). Additionally, 44% of women avoid screening due to perceived costs, even though the National Health Fund (NFZ) provides free mammography for the eligible age group without requiring a referral. Currently, over 364,000 free appointments are available in the NFZ system.

To improve participation, experts and officials at a conference in the Sejm proposed several solutions, including sending personalized invitations with specific dates, increasing support from primary care physicians, providing dedicated days off for preventive care, and better utilizing occupational medicine.