Abstract
Breast cancer among Japanese women has been steadily increasing, with 97,142 patients in 2019 and 15,912 deaths in 2022. Despite this, the breast cancer screening rate remains below the target of 60%, staying at 47.4% in 2022. Effective information dissemination via the internet and social networks is essential to improve screening rates. This study conducted a co-occurrence network analysis of tweets containing the terms “breast cancer” and “screening” from 2011 to 2018. The results showed that “receive” and “go” were consistently top terms, indicating a focus on screening behavior. “Cervical cancer” also frequently co-occurred, suggesting a link with gynecological screenings. Terms like “today,” “think,” and “say” indicate that users’ tweets reflect their real-time thoughts and opinions on screening. Terms such as “screening,” “checkup,” “health check,” “company,” “city,” “coupon,” and “free” show that practical information about screenings and subsidies is shared on SNS. Specific examination methods like “mammography,” “ultrasound,” and “palpation” were often mentioned, with “mammography” co-occurring with “painful,” indicating concerns about the discomfort of the procedure. Addressing these fears alongside using SNS for information dissemination is crucial. The analysis also found that the topics of tweets about breast cancer screening remained stable from fiscal 2011 to 2018, but notable individuals influenced interest in certain years. This suggests that leveraging public figures can effectively raise awareness about breast cancer screening. In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of using SNS for effective information dissemination and addressing screening-related concerns to improve breast cancer screening rates.
