Comparison of various characteristics of women who do and do not attend for breast cancer screening.
BACKGROUND
Information regarding the characteristics and health of women who do and do not attend for breast cancer screening is limited and representative data are difficult to obtain.


METHODS
Information on age, deprivation and prescriptions for various medications was obtained for all women at two UK general practices who were invited to breast cancer screening through the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme. The characteristics of women who attended and did not attend screening were compared.


RESULTS
Of the 1064 women invited to screening from the two practices, 882 (83%) attended screening. Screening attenders were of a similar age to non-attenders but came from significantly less deprived areas (30% of attenders versus 50% of non-attenders came from the most deprived areas, P < 0.0001) and were more likely to have a current prescription for hormone replacement therapy (32% versus 19%, P < 0.0001). No significant differences in recent prescriptions of medication for hypertension, heart disease, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, asthma, thyroid disease or depression/anxiety were observed between attenders and non-attenders.


CONCLUSIONS
Women who attend the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme come from less deprived areas and are more likely to have a current prescription for hormone replacement therapy than non-attenders, but do not differ in terms of age or recent prescriptions for various other medications.
Banks
Emily
E
Imperial Cancer Research Fund Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK. bankse@icrf.icnet.uk
Beral
Valerie
V
Cameron
Rebecca
R
Hogg
Ann
A
Langley
Nicola
N
Barnes
Isobel
I
Bull
Diana
D
Reeves
Gillian
G
English
Ruth
R
Taylor
Sarah
S
Elliman
Jon
J
Lole Harris
Carole
C
D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D016387:Women's Health