title: Breast cancer screening among older racial/ethnic minorities and whites: barriers to early detection.
abstract: Screening mammography for early detection of breast cancer has been shown to be an effective method for reducing mortality in older women. Based on the results from the 1987-88 National Health Interview Survey, older minority women have low prevalence rates of screening mammography. Among women aged 75 and older, 83.5% of Black women, 93.2% of Hispanic women, and 75.0% of White women have never had a mammogram. On the average, about 12% of minority women over the age of 65 have had a screening mammogram within the preceding year, compared with about 15% of White women. Among women 75 + years of age, Black and Hispanic women had markedly lower rates of clinical breast examination in the last year (23.4% and 20.5% respectively) as compared to White women (35.2%). The most common reason for not having a mammogram among Black women 65 years of age and older was that the doctor did not recommend a mammogram. For Hispanic and White women in this age group, the most common reason was that a mammogram was not needed or not necessary. Aggressive and creative breast cancer screening activities for minority aged 65 and older are clearly indicated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Caplan
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haynes
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016353:Self-Examination; D044465:White People