Uptake of Guidelines for Breast Cancer in low and middle-resource countries.From research to implementation.

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer killer in women worldwide and the burden of disease is currently higher in Low and Middle Resource Countries (LMRCs) than in more developed regions. Recognizing this, The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) developed evidence-based, resource-stratified BC guidelines for LMRCs. Purpose: To evaluate how these guidelines have been used in the global health literature as a proxy for potential impact. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and citation analysis to identify and analyze documents referencing the guidelines by region, topic and purpose. Findings Of the 776 documents included for analysis, 71% were published by authors or groups external to BHGI, and 57.8% of all documents were focused on LMRCs. The frequency of publications has progressively increased, with early detection being the most common theme referenced. More than 67.2% referenced the guidelines to support and idea related with the management of the disease while only 6% used them to support an implementation process. Conclusion: These guidelines have been disseminated worldwide and have been used increasingly in the global health literature during the last decade. However, it is fundamental to develop better implementation strategies to promote their uptake into routine practices in LMRCs.