The role of breast cancer civil society in different resource settings

Breast cancer civil society, as represented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in this study, can play an essential role in breast cancer control. Their breast cancer-related programs often reflect the breast cancer burden and the resources available for cancer control within the country or region they serve. This report reviews organizational features and program activities of 154 NGOs involved in breast cancer control from 35 countries. Breast cancer civil society in low and lower-middle income countries are most often associated with hospitals and medical professionals and focus on direct medical services, providing information, raising community awareness, and early detection campaigns. In upper-middle income countries, NGOs were likely to be survivor-led and there were more breast cancer-specific organizations. NGOs played a lesser role in provision of direct medical services and had a greater program emphasis on other areas of patient services, including emotional support. In high income countries, they were typically survivor-led, breast cancer-specific NGOs were prominent, and NGOs had a more prominent focus on research, advocacy and legal rights compared to other resource settings. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.