Recognition of access barriers to breast cancer screening in women over 40 years of age: a nursing approach

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Mexico. Although mammography is an effective tool for early detection, multiple barriers hinder proper screening. To identify access barriers to breast cancer screening in women over 40 years of age in a Family Medicine Unit in southern Tamaulipas. Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study. A structured questionnaire was applied to a sample of women aged over 40. Sociodemographic variables, frequency of screening, type of strategy used, and access barriers were evaluated. A total of 300 records of women aged 40 to 69 years were analyzed. 32% reported not performing breast self-examination, and 27.7% performed it every 6 months. Almost three-quarters (72.3%) had undergone a clinical breast examination. 39.7% reported never having had a mammogram. The main barriers identified were: lack of information (20.3%), lack of time (18.7%), very long appointments (12.3%), and high cost (0.3%). Among the population with mammography appointments, 90.3% encountered some difficulty: long waiting time (26.7%), lack of equipment maintenance (13.8%), limited schedules (34.8%), and complex administrative procedures (20.6%). There is a solid institutional infrastructure for timely detection, but failures persist in practical implementation. To improve coverage indicators and reduce associated mortality, a comprehensive intervention is required, including better coordination between levels of care, automation of referral protocols, and targeted campaigns for women at risk.