 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Shilpi Khan, MS1, Daniel H. Freeman, PhD1, Whitney M. Randolph, PhD2, Jonathan D. Mahnken, MS1, James S. Goodwin, MD2, and Jean L. Freeman, PhD2. (1) Office of Biostatistics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 700 Harborside Drive, 1.134 Ewing Hall, Galveston, TX 77555-1148, (409) 747 6562, shkhan@utmb.edu, (2) Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0460
Previous studies have found that married women are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage of cancer than those who are unmarried. Using data from the SEER Medicare linked database, we examined whether marital status is associated with stage and/or size of tumor at diagnosis of breast cancer and how screening use affects the relationship. The study sample was limited to female breast cancer cases aged 69 years or older diagnosed in one of the SEER areas over the period 1995-96. We also required the subjects to have been covered under Medicare parts A and B and not enrolled in an HMO during the month of diagnosis and four years prior to this diagnosis. The relationship among stage, marital status and screening use was examined using logistic regression. Married women were less likely to be diagnosed at a late stage compared to other women. The size of tumor was analyzed with ordinary least squares. Married women were found to have presented with smaller tumors at diagnosis compared to other women. Among women who have had two or more screening mammogram in the two years prior to their diagnosis, there is no relationship between marital status and stage but among women who have not had or had one screening mammogram in previous two years, married women are less likely to present at a late stage compared to other women.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Breast Cancer, Mammography Screening
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.