JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Mammographic screening significantly improves early detection and survival rates. However, the pain and discomfort experienced during mammography, primarily due to breast compression, can serve as major deterrents to participation in routine screening programs. Psychological factors such as anxiety, fear, and pain catastrophizing have been shown to influence pain perception and the experience during mammography. These factors may affect women's decisions to participate in or avoid screening, undermining public health efforts for early detection.

Objective:

This study aims to synthesize the scientific literature on the psychological factors influencing pain perception and experience in women undergoing mammography.

Methods:

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) will be followed in this review. This review will include all the studies that provided psychological factors. Full-text articles will be sourced from the following databases: Scopus and PubMed, published in peer-reviewed and indexed journals. There will be no restrictions on publication dates. Grey literature will be excluded. The search strategy will be developed using keywords and Boolean operators tailored for each database. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist will be used to assess the quality of individual studies. Data analysis will be conducted using narrative synthesis. Any disagreements during the selection of studies will be discussed and resolved by the entire team.

Results:

We will summarize the selection of the eligible studies using a flowchart. The results will be presented in a table of evidence, and the findings will be submitted for publication in a journal.

Conclusions:

This is the first systematic review protocol to assess the psychological factors influencing pain perception and experience during mammography. The findings are expected to inform strategies for improving patient compliance. Therefore, the authors plan to publish the review outcome in a peer-reviewed journal.