08 August, 2005 22:17 GMT
Overall bookings for breast screening increased by 40 percent in the two weeks following the announcement of Kylie Minogue's diagnosis.
The so-called 'Kylie effect' could help reduce deaths from breast cancer as more women get screened for the disease, a researcher claims. Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, and quickly had surgery to remove the lump.
Now a study in Australia has revealed that coverage of the singer's plight caused an unprecedented increase in bookings for breast screening.
Early Detection Critical
Researcher Simon Chapman, professor of public health at the University of Sydney, looked at mammogram bookings in the 19 weeks before, the two weeks during and the six weeks after the publicity surrounding Kylie's illness.
He found a 20-fold increase in the news coverage of breast cancer on Australian TV. This coverage emphasized that young women also got breast cancer and early detection of the disease was critical for successful treatment.
Professor Chapman said that overall bookings for breast screening increased by 40 percent in the two weeks of Kylie-related publicity. He also found a 101 percent increase in bookings for women aged 40 to 69 who had not been screened before.
"The significant 'Kylie effect' on screening may further reduce breast cancer deaths," Professor Chapman said, writing in the
Medical Journal of Australia.
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