KYN: Alcohol and breast cancer prevention
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Know Your Numbers (KYN): Adding Primary Prevention to the NHS Breast Screening Programme Phase I
IRAS ID
165282
Contact name
Ellen Copson
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 29 days
Research summary
Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in a dose dependent fashion and causes =5000 cases of breast cancer per year in the UK. Alcohol consumption is rising;however alcohol-specific health literacy is low and the majority of people drinking at increased and high risk levels are unaware that they are so doing. Although there is extensive evidence that Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) is effective in reducing alcohol use they are generally directed at individuals identified as being ‘at risk’ using alcohol addiction screening tools. Two million women attend NHS Breast Screening mammograms each year. This represents a potential “teachable moment” for women to receive breast cancer prevention advice.
This project aims to educate women about alcohol intake and breast cancer risk, and to empower women to modify their risk by monitoring their alcohol intake. We will explore knowledge and attitudes of breast screening attenders and symptomatic breast clinic attenders and assess the feasibility of using a “Know Your Numbers” intervention in these populations. In this Phase 1 exploratory study women attending NHS breast screening programme (NHSBSP) mammogram appointments and symptomatic breast clinics, will be invited to complete a questionnaire which will explore knowledge and attitudes towards risk factors for breast cancer, alcohol consumption, acceptability of receiving cancer prevention education at screening/ clinic appointments, preferred format of materials, and willingness to participate in a clinical trial. Focus groups will aim to further explore those issues. NHSBSP and breast clinic staff will be interviewed to explore the feasibility of offering cancer prevention education in these clinical settings. A CRUK Know Your Numbers intervention package will be developed based on these data to be used in a phase II feasibility study.
This research will generate data which will inform power calculations for future studies of brief alcohol interventions and breast cancer prevention.REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1399
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion