Breast Health Questionnaire Standardization
This initiative standardizes breast-health information collection across mammography clinics in Hawaiʻi and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The questionnaire launched in September 2023 at participating clinics on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, and Guam.
Purpose
The questionnaire captures the risk data needed to calculate breast-cancer risk and develop region-specific risk models. It builds on existing frameworks including:
- The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT)
- The Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Model
- The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) Risk Calculator
Key risk factors assessed
- Age. In Hawaiʻi, 72% of breast-cancer diagnoses occur in women aged 55+.
- Racial/ethnic background. Native Hawaiian and Japanese women show the highest incidence rates in Hawaiʻi.
- Family history. A first-degree relative with breast cancer nearly doubles risk.
- Hormone therapy. Menopausal hormone-therapy effects vary by type and duration.
- Menstrual history. Earlier menarche and later menopause correlate with increased risk.
- Reproductive history. First childbirth after age 30 associates with higher risk.
- Body measurements. BMI relates to breast-cancer risk, particularly obesity (BMI ≥ 30).