Regional and ethnic disparities in breast cancer screening remain significant in California, according to the latest Medicare mammography data compiled by CMRI, a San Francisco-based quality improvement organization. The statewide average screening rate is 56%, which is lower than the national median of 60%, according to the firm.
The group also revealed that Caucasian women had the highest screening rate: 59.6%, compared to screening rates of 43.3% for African-American women, according to Medicare 2000-2001 biennial mammography data for female Medicare members aged 50-69.
Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Plumas, and Humboldt are the five counties with the highest screening rates. The bottom five counties are Solano, Alameda, Imperial, Sierra, and Los Angeles, said CMRI.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersOctober 21, 2003
Related Reading
Part I: Breast cancer screening in Romania, October 21, 2003
Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes spark research, October 10, 2003
Calif. Asians, Latinos miss cancer screening-study, September 18, 2003
Diverse Los Angeles population gives cancer clues, August 22, 2003
Statistics suggest strategies for cancer reduction among Hispanics, August 11, 2003
Copyright © 2003 AuntMinnie.com
