The proportion of women ages 65 and older on Medicare who said that they had been screened for osteoporosis with bone densitometry increased from 34% in 2001 to 64% in 2006, according to a statement from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The data came from the 2009 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report, which examines the disparities in Americans' access to and quality of healthcare, with breakdowns by race, ethnicity, income, and education.
The report shows that white women had the highest increase in bone density screening during the period studied, from 36% to 67%. Hispanic women went from 22% to 55%, while the percentage of black women who underwent bone density screening increased from 16% to 38%.
A woman's income level influences whether she receives osteoporosis screening, with only 46% of poor women having the test compared to 80% of high-income women, AHRQ said.
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