Beyond Advocacy into Education
DenseBreast-info.org (DBI) was developed as a comprehensive, medically sourced educational tool. Our mission is to objectively inform “dense breast” conversations between patients and health providers.
Advocacy raises awareness.
Advocacy efforts in the United States have led to the enactment of nearly 40 state “inform” laws and federal legislation which required the Food and Drug Administration to develop a national breast density reporting standard. Beyond the U.S.A., conversations and research about the implications of dense breast tissue are now occurring globally, and patients and their health care providers must navigate new conversations about the relevance of dense tissue.
While patient advocacy is important and raises general awareness about breast density, advocacy is not necessarily unbiased and can be based on personal stories or opinions, or might only use research that supports its approach. DBI was developed to address the critical need for an education-based resource to help both patients and health care providers understand the implications of breast density in terms of screening and risk, and the considerations in addressing them.
Education presents facts.
DBI was developed in response to the recognized need for educational material to inform new patient/provider discussions. Education is an objective approach, providing guidance based on peer-reviewed clinical research and possible outcomes. While advocacy efforts raise awareness, it is medically-sourced tools, like DBI, that inform conversations between a woman and her health care provider about actual next steps.
DBI content is medically-sourced, vetted, and under constant review. Our Medical Advisory Board consists of world-renowned breast imaging experts and medical reviewers. The website, a resource for both patients and health care providers, instructs on the implications of dense tissue, from multiple perspectives and relevant research, and presents options available in addressing them.
DBI is now the world’s leading medically sourced resource on the topic and in a comparative study, was found to be the “most up-to-date, comprehensive site for breast density knowledge [1].” We are delighted it has become the go-to resource for patients, health care providers, researchers, the media, and legislators.
References Cited
- Harvey, J. Breast density websites: Where to send your patients and referring providers for information. Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) Member Newsletter 2016; 3