Mammography use among women with a disability, 2005 and 2008 NHIS

Introduction: Women with a disability are at similar risk for breast cancer as women without a disability. However, evidence has shown that women with a disability may be less likely to obtain a mammogram in the recommended time frame than women without a disability. Despite this, there is a lack of evidence on the prevalence of mammography by type of disability. Methods: Data from the 2005 and 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to determine prevalence of obtaining a mammogram in the past two years for women between the ages of 50-74 with and without a disability. Data from both years were combined to increase sample size. Multivariate analysis was used to determine additional socio-demographic factors associated with mammography use in this population. Results: Overall, 70.2% of women aged 50-74 years with a disability reported having a mammogram in the last two years in comparison to 75.8% of women without a disability (p<0.001). Among women with specific types of disability, the prevalence of biennial mammography ranged from 58.7% (women with limitations in activities of daily living) to 71.9% (women with hearing limitation). Conclusion: Mammograms are integral to early detection of breast cancer. Mammography prevalence estimates vary widely among women with different types of disability, suggesting there may be different barriers and experiences for these sub-populations. Public health interventions targeted toward increasing mammography can be more effective if they take into account disability type.