Mammography Rates in the United States, 2001-2005

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, affecting approximately 1 in 4 women in the US. Increased mammography rates has been associated with higher education and insurance status, whereas others reveal inconsistent findings for mammography and associated age, race, and income level. US mammography associated with demographics and insurance status has not been compared from 2001-2005. Methods: Age, race, education, income, and insurance status trends in mammography from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System 2001-2005 data were analyzed using SPSS. Differences in mammography percentages and trends were compared in the United States using Chi-Square tests. A logistic regression was conducted to determine if mammography predicted age, race, education, income, and insurance status from 2001 to 2005. Results: For most categories, mammography fluctuated from 2001-2005. Women at all levels except whites and African Americans reported increased mammography from 2001-2005 in the US (p<.001). There was a significant relationship between mammography and each of the following: age, race, education, income, and insurance status (p <.001). Insured were more likely to have a mammogram, while Hispanics were less likely to have a mammogram than non-Hispanics (p<.05). Conclusions: Lower mammography rates may be due to programs which have been implemented with low participation rates, suggesting the need to evaluate current mammography programs in the nation. This study's results can provide guidance for public health professionals and cancer educators to create culturally sensitive, tailored programs to the medically underserved about breast cancer and mammography.