The rate of mammography screening among elderly American women is significantly lower than what the women themselves are reporting.
While self-reported studies suggested that as many as 70% to 80% of women ages 65 to 69 received at least one mammogram every two years, the new study concludes the rate is 61% of women in this age group overall receive regular screening, with lower rates among older African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic women.
The collaborative study compared national Medicare data involving 146,669 women ages 65 and older to patient self-reports collected by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Health Interview Study from 1991 to 2001.
The study is scheduled for release in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
June 23, 2006
Related Reading
Scandinavian studies take mammography to task once again, March 3, 2006
U.K. group accuses breast cancer screening advocates of disinformation, July 11, 2003
Mammography screening effective when data are analyzed correctly, February 1, 2002
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